I'm Going to Get You
by rebecca85
Summary: Hiei always get what he wants, stealing it if have to. But when he wants a certain redhead to be his, even after a rejection, what will he do? Shounen ai! HieixKurama, KoenmaxBotan and usual. May be OOC:ness! M, just in case. [finished]
1. Prologue

**Standard disclaimers apply** to all chapters: This fic is written purely for my own amusement and practice. I do not get any monetary profit of it and claim only to own _this_ story, plus all the characters that I have invented. Even though, with the Japan's nonexistent copyright laws, I don't think Yoshihiro Togashi really cares. 

**Warnings** (also apply to all chapters, true or not): YAOI & HET. Out Of Character-ness. Attempted humour. Some language and slight violence. Blood. Villain dies. Also few almost graphic scenes of Hiei and Kurama, but I like my limits.

* * *

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Prologue:

"I love you." Hiei stated seriously looking deep in to the widening green eyes. The beautiful redhead took gaspingly breath, obviously in shock.

"Hiei... I... Are you sure?" Kurama asked trying to escape the situation. Hiei frowned almost in anger.

"Of course I'm sure. I care for you and want to be with you all the time. Yukina explained these things to me and told the difference about loves. I don't love you like I do Yukina or Mukuro or anyone else I know. Your sole presence lights up the room when you walk in and I want you to be mine," he stated gruffly and determinant. Kurama was still in shock. He had no idea that Hiei had developed these feeling for him. Yes, he was the one Hiei liked to spend most time with and he had even joked about it, but this...

"Hiei..." Kurama started slowly. "I'm sorry, but I don't think I feel the same," he looked apologetically to the fire demon. Hiei studied him closely.

"What do you mean, 'you don't think you feel the same'? Either you do or you don't," he questioned harshly. Kurama was a little taken aback.

"I mean that, no, I don't love you, to put it bluntly," he answered.

"Do you already have somebody, then?"

"No, I do not! What that has to do with this?" Kurama exclaimed blushing slightly.

"Well, if you don't have anyone, you can be mine."

"Hiei, no! Love doesn't work that way!" Kurama breathed in shock. The little demon looked him annoyed.

"What's wrong with that? I'm in love with you and you don't have a mate. You can be mine. I don't take no for an answer," he threatened him.

Kurama took an unconscious step back in to his room with shock. Hiei followed, landing off the windowsill without a sound. The fox demon's eyes widened and he stepped another pace back. Hiei followed with two.

"But Hiei... I can't... I can't be with someone I don't truly love. If something I've learned in the human world, it's that," Kurama tried reasoning with the boy and made another attempt to get space between them.

Then his legs bumped in to something and he knew without looking that he was now trapped between his bed and the approaching Jagan user. He swallowed hard, trying to look for an escape. He would never get to his door and out of it before Hiei. He could go through the window, but then he would have to pass Hiei himself. That didn't look like a good idea either. Then the said fire demon was right in front of him. At this kind of situation, the fact that he was almost a head shorter than Kurama didn't seem to count much. He was strong and fast: Deadly combination. Before Kurama could even blink, he felt himself fall to the bed. Hiei had him pinned down on it in an instant, Hiei sitting on top of him, efficiently restraining his movements. Kurama felt his heart leave a beat.

"I thought I told you. I don't take no for an answer. I take what I want, even if I have to steal it, and you are the only thing I want at the moment. I _will_ make you mine," he whispered the promise straight to Kurama's ear, his hot breath tinkling its leaf and making the man shiver.

"If I have to, I'll even steal your heart," Hiei said straight to the beauty's face, then pressed a harsh kiss on his mouth. Kurama's eyes widened, but before he could recover from the shock, the offending lips were gone.

"I'll see you tomorrow," the fire demon said and vanished. Suddenly the bewildered redhead gasped. _"I'll see you tomorrow."_

"I forgot! Mom invited Hiei for dinner!" Kurama said aloud in shock. What will he do now! And what did Hiei meant by taking him? Was he serious! This couldn't be happening... Not for him!

The green eyed beauty walked with shaking legs to the window and slowly shut it. And locked it, just in case. Then he walked slowly to his dressing table and sat down. This latest discovery had brought new aspects from the fire demon. Kurama looked in the mirror. The image was a flushed face of his and his hair was in disarray. He absentmindedly brushed his lips with the tips of his slender fingers and his face turned in a deeper shade of red. He took a brush and started to viciously brush his red mane. The brushing was more for doing _something_, than getting rid of tangles. Suddenly the redhead snapped out of his trance and quickly put the item away. He was supposed to be sleeping! If he wouldn't go, he was sure to be tired tomorrow. His human body didn't get that weak anymore, but it was always best to play sure. Kurama tugged himself under the covers, closed his eyes and waited for sleep. _Maybe this has all been just a dream and I'll wake up soon_, he wished. Before going to sleep he checked once more the area of any fire demons' youki.

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	2. Ch1: Love

I'm trying to stick to English as much as I can, but some slips do happen….:

Koorime: an ice maiden/demon (Hiei is half, so I'm using it)

−san: polite ending. This usually translates to Mr. or Mrs.

Youki: Every person emits some kind of 'ki', meaning 'life energy'. Humans have 'reiki' and demons emit 'youki'.

Ite: (really 'itai') It means that you're hurting. Some translates it 'It hurts', but this small version is just 'Ouch' or something the like. I thought I sounded better for the story than the English version.

Makai: The Demon World. Not hell, but the place where demons live in. I'm trying to be witty in this chapter.

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**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 1: Love

Kurama massaged his aching temples. He hadn't had that good of a sleep. He had constantly been waking up, to see if Hiei was there.

What was he doing? He surely hadn't started to bee afraid of the fire demon? He can't have that. He could still put up a good fight if Hiei decided to... well... do something... wild.

Kurama shook his head vigorously. What was he thinking! Of course Hiei wouldn't do something like that..., right? The redhead sighed deeply and forced himself to pay attention to the teachers speak. He had to take control of himself! Otherwise he would be vulnerable than as it was. He had to be cool about this and act as if it didn't bother him. He should be able to laugh about this! And he would. No! He wouldn't! He wasn't that cold-heated. But cool was ok. Yes. He would treat Hiei the same. Maybe keeping his distant though. _Yes. That is a good plan._

With that he pulled himself together and started to have as much as a normal day that he could possible have considering the situation.

* * *

"Minamino-san! Mi-na-mi-no-saaaaaan!" Kurama stopped and turned around to look back at the school from the gates. A group of girls were making hurriedly their way to him. The first one was obviously selected as the speaker, who was supposed to gather the courage to talk to him. She was a very pretty girl, with shining black rich hair, reaching her waist with bright blue eyes. _I haven't noticed that she's beautiful before,_ was his little thought. The swarm of girls surrounded him, the brunette at the front; the chosen speaker.

"Minamino-san," she started excitedly, breathing heavily, but all the same smiling widely. "Please accept these. They are for you." All of then handed him a little package with exited eyes. Kurama raised slightly his hand and smiled ever-so-politely rejecting the offer.

"I really can't take all that."

"But you must. We have all made an effort to make these to do," the girl insisted.

"But I really can't possibly--"

"No! Please take them!" They all pushed the presents a little. Kurama was stuck. And cornered. If he'd take the gifts he would never get rid of the girls. They would hound him down like a rare fox (which he was) and make him give them more privileges. Such as to let them get close to him. That was a scary thought. And he couldn't possibly just run, could he? His reputation was in stake, you know.

Kurama was thinking hard for a polite excuse, when suddenly Hiei was there. He stood directly between the redhead and the fan-girls, in his usual stance, hands in his pockets.

"He says he doesn't want them," the fire demon stated glaring menacingly to the girls. The swarm backed up a bit, but then the brunette one spoke up. Kurama was still frozen of Hiei's sudden appearance. From his point of view, things had just gotten bad to worse. But he _was_ slightly interested of the girl who could dare to speak to Hiei.

"He did not say he doesn't want these," she tried bravely argue with the suddenly appeared Goth Boy.

"He doesn't want them or need them, including you either," Hiei responded dangerously quiet. The girl took shockingly breath, but gathered herself quickly.

"And who are you to say those things?" She shot back, with a winning look.

"He's my boyfriend," the short boy answered, which almost caused a few heart-attacks among the girls. This finally broke the trance Kurama had been in.

"Hiei!" He shouted, startling the girls for his strong show of emotions. "How can you say that! I am not you boyfriend! I already told you that." (The girls breathed more at ease. The prince wasn't stolen, after all. Phew.) "And what are you doing here? Where you supposed to be at work?" Kurama finished, only mildly exasperated now.

"I'm on a leave." Hiei responded shortly, eyeing the girls in a battle mode, as if they were a deadly threat to his fox.

"Minamino-san? Is this a fried of yours?" the brunette asked politely.

"No, no! He's just a colleague of mine." Kurama started explaining hastily. (A/N: His compose is really gone. Wow. O.o)

"Just leave him alone," Hiei said quietly, ignoring the redheads chose of words, looking dangerously the girls. Kurama startled.

"If you touch him, I'll kill you. He's mine." With that he was gone. A silent fell over. All the girls transferred their stare, from the place the 'Hiei' man had been, into Kurama's eyes, questions almost readable from their faces. Kurama started to feel really uncomfortable, by then.

"Eh... Well I got to go home. Mom's probably already wondering where I am." He staggered off. When he was safely out of seeing distance, he broke to a run, before any of the girls would found their speaking abilities again and maybe even ask about what Hiei had said. The redheaded beauty would love to explain, but he wasn't sure if he knew him self. _Okay, he did say he was going to make me his, but he is overly possessive about me already. And would he really do something that drastic as kill the girls, if they came too close?_ This was a puzzle he wasn't so keen on solving. He could only hope Hiei wasn't serious this time.

Suddenly he was at home. He had run all the way. His breath was uneven and he was panting. He wasn't in this bad of a shape now, was he? He would have to ask Hiei to train with -- Kurama shook his head. He could ask Yusuke. _Yes, I can train with Yusuke. That would be better. Being close to Hiei is dangerous now. _He straightened up, dusted some non-existence lint off his uniform and went inside.

"I'm home!" he yelled, but remembered then that his mother was still at work, Shuichi was still somewhere with his friends − Kurama didn't even care to remember where, _Bowling, I suppose…_: − and mister Hatanaka would be out of town for the week in some business trip. Sighing deeply he took of his shoes, put a pair of slippers instead and walked to the kitchen with his schoolbag. He dropped it to the table and proceeded to have a drink. He would go upstairs and get a quick shower, then do a little of his homework-leftovers − he chuckled slightly at the make-up word − and then go for the groceries for the dinner, before his mother would come home.

Ah... That leads us to the problem at hand: Hiei. And the dinner he was invited to. Kurama had a creepy suspicion that this was planned beforehand. That Hiei would confess him conveniently before the dinner, so that Kurama wouldn't be able to keep his distance. He grimaced at the thought.

The red haired beauty ascended the stairs, his bag with him, sipping his orange juice. He pushed the door open and leaned it close. He dropped the bag on his bed, drank the last of his juice and placed the glass on his desk. Kurama stretched and started to undress, proceeding as planned.

Hot water smoothed his facial expressions, when he enjoyed the pause in his day. Shower washed his troubled thoughts in to the sewer and he felt greatly refreshed and motivated after. If he did his leftovers quickly, he would have time to stop by at Yusuke's ramen-place to say hello to his friends at his shopping-trip. With this thought he wrapped himself in a towel and smiled happily as he went back to his room.

"What took you so long?" Kurama nearly had a heart-attack, and clutching his towel he took deep breath.

"Hiei..." he breathed out in recognition. The said fire demon was sitting casually on his windowsill arms crossed, other leg dangling inside and the other crooked in front of him.

"You scared me. What are you doing here?" Kurama said composing himself quickly as walking to his closet and starting to search for proper clothes. Kurama had been so in thought that he hadn't even sensed the boy. Or was he just keeping his youki in check?

"Can't a friend come to visit?" Hiei sounded mockingly innocent. Kurama narrowed his eyes at him seeing Hiei smirking on the sill. The fox demon didn't even bother to answer, just took clothes from the closet. He was almost removing the piece of towel at his waist when he suddenly noticed the short boy watching him intensely. All of a sudden Kurama felt irritated. _Hiei could be a little more polite._

"Would you mind?" he asked annoyed.

"No."

"Could you just look the other way, please!" Kurama said calmly, through gritted teethe.

"Fine." Hiei turned to look out of the window. The redhead didn't quite trust him, though, so he kept shooting glances at the fire demon. He knew too well that he looked gorgeous. Everyone always said that, and in almost naked dripping wet, he was quite the sight. He hurriedly pulled the tight jeans and a light-green t-shirt on and proceeded to dry his hair with the towel.

"You can look now," he said offhandedly when turning to find his brush. He just assumed that the invitation had gone through, and continued drying his hair with one hand while the other fumbled his drawer for the missed item. _There!_ Looking victorious, he took the brush and went to seat on his bed, facing the fire demon, placing his bag to the floor, for room.

"So Hiei. What's up? You're not supposed to be here until eight o'clock. Is there something you want?" Kurama started conversationally brushing his hair at the same time and looking at Hiei.

"You." He was serious. Kurama frowned.

"Well I'm not on the market at the moment. Anything else?" he asked dryly. Hiei just shrugged and looked out the window again.

"Ite…" Kurama uttered a soft sound suddenly. Hiei immediately shot a look at Kurama.

"What's wrong?" He asked frowning.

"Ah... My brush just got tangled up," Kurama shrugged with a dismissing tone. He turned his gaze to his hair and he sighed inwardly. At this rate, he wouldn't have even enough time for homework. He extended his slender fingers, keeping a concentrated frown on his face, to untangle the mess. Suddenly Hiei was in front of him.

"Let me," he said quietly. "You'll strain your neck like that ." Kurama was startled from the offer and tried politely turn it down but Hiei was already kneeling on the bed behind him doing surprisingly good job, soon getting the evil brush from his hair.

Then Hiei started brushing the red locks straight without further ado. Kurama would've like to told him off his back where he couldn't see the boy, but just when he was opening his mouth a wave of tiredness and comfort rushed trough him. He just gaped a while saying nothing, then gave up and closed his eyes.

No one had before brushed his hair. He wasn't a girl, so it probably never occurred to his mother to put a brush and his hair in a same concept, plus he had always been very independent. It was a first time someone had been this close to him, this way. It was a whole new feeling and he enjoyed it fully.

A little sound of awe whispered in his mind that Hiei was being surprisingly gentle. Something Kurama had never expected of him. But soon he wasn't thinking anything. Smooth strokes through his hair were heaven. Suddenly Hiei stopped. Kurama snapped awake, straighten up and turned to look behind him with a questioning look. Why had he stopped when it was just getting so nice? He founded the fire demon smirking at him.

"What?" Kurama asked, frowning to Hiei, immediately answering to the grin with defence.

"I really should have thought of this before," he said, obviously pleased with himself, twiddling the brush in his fingers.

"What are you talking about?" Kurama was getting more annoyed by the minute.

"Well..." Hiei started slowly, (obviously) enjoying Kurama's discomfort, smirking wider when noticing the foxes' suppressed curiosity. "Well, you were making certain noises..." Kurama's eyes widened. He had!

"What -- What kind of 'noises'..?" he asked swallowing hard trying desperately to stay cool about the matter. Hiei looked absolutely mischievous. That sent ominous chills through Kurama's spine.

"Let's just say that you obviously enjoyed it," he said leaving the subject there. Kurama wasn't even sure if he wanted to know after all. _Who would've thought that Hiei was such a perv? Good thing Yukina doesn't_. Kurama turned to leave, but didn't quite make it up when Hiei suddenly pulled his arm so that the redhead fell down on his back next to Hiei. The koorime mounted on top of the fox, took his wrists and pinned him down.

Kurama's hair was spread over his head like a blood-red halo, his emerald green eyes wide of shock and that pale, smooth skin of his slightly coloured with a little flush. _Absolutely... delicious..._ Hiei thought and leaned over the beauty.

"Don't I get a reward?" the fire demon whispered and descended to kiss the almost-scared-to-death Kurama. The kiss felt so... real, - lack of the better word - that the fox automatically closed his eyes and tipped his head a little parting his lips slightly. Hiei took the opportunity immediately and deepened the kiss by letting his tongue explore the newly opened region. Kurama shot his eyes open as he realized in a shock what was happening and started to struggle the fire demon off of him - without success. He was definitely stronger, plus, he was on top. Finally Kurama turned his head to his side breaking the kiss.

He was scared now. He was totally at Hiei's mercy. It didn't look good.

The shorter boy released one of his hands to take a hold of Kurama's slender jaw and turn the beauty to face him. Kurama didn't want to know what Hiei would do to him next and immediately took this opportunity and pushed Hiei hard on his shoulder so that the boy rolled over him, caught in surprise.

The fox quickly stood up and turned to look at Hiei. Kurama was panting a little and both of their cheeks were slightly flushed.

"Don't..." Kurama whispered shaking slightly. Hiei arched a brow.

"Don't what?" He asked innocently, eyes sparkling. He had made another step of progress. The fox had answered the kiss. Well, not fully, but that was just nitpicking.

"Don't _kiss me_! And I mean ever. Don't ever kiss me again!" the red beauty breathed angrily. The fire demon's face darkened.

"I can't promise you that," he stated solemnly.

Kurama suddenly felt like crying. The situation was getting more and more difficult for him. He of course would never show his tears to him. There was just enough problems as if was with Hiei, he couldn't brake down here.

"Why?" He asked weakly and raised his hand to cover his eyes. The headache was making its way back. The spiky haired boy rose from the bed and approached Kurama who immediately tensed up eyeing his movements. Hiei extended his hand to touch Kurama's cheek. Kurama winced first but then let him do so.

"You are too beautiful to be only watched," the fire demon whispered back. Somehow those words didn't hurt him as they normally would. He was sick and tired of getting females' attraction only by looks.

But now… Maybe because it was Hiei saying these things, it felt comforting, when he knew those words were meant only for him, were spoken the first time and would never come out again for someone else.

Just when he had relaxed under the boys touch, Hiei suddenly moved his hand to Kurama's neck and pulled their faces more close, so that the lips were in his reach, and kissed the fox again. This time tenderly, softly, like he was careful not brake his fox. Then he let go and allowed Kurama to straighten up.

"You promised!" Kurama in a huff but blushing deeply.

"What?"

"You promised not to kiss me!"

"I promised nothing such." _Damn._

"Then would you please?"

"Please what?"

"Promise me that you won't kiss me again?"

"No." Kurama sighed and gave up. He just had to be careful around the short demon, from now on. Very careful.

"So what are we doing today?" Hiei asked, chancing the subject and getting the redhead back to reality.

"I have to do my homework and go get the groceries before mother comes back. Why?" he asked back cautiously.

"What time your mother comes back?"

"Six thirty. And again: Why?"

"The clock just seems to be getting near five," Hiei shrugged.

"What!" Kurama looked the digital clock at his night-table, which showed '16:48'.

"Oh, no! Where did the last hour went to?" The fox exclaimed finding his bag. Then he realized what he just had said and that he knew the answer too. He blushed heavily and looked at Hiei who was smiling mischievously. He quickly resumed to his homework-finding task, going through his bag.

"It's not here," he suddenly said stopping abruptly his search and raising his gaze. _I was so confused today that I forgot it in my desk._ Kurama mentally slapped his forehead. _How could I've been so stupid!_ Sighing he put down his bag and ran a hand through his hair.

"Guess that leaves just the shopping then," he said. Suddenly his hand stopped in his hair as he realized. His hair was dry. He stated feeling his locks. They were soft and smooth and not a single tangle in them. Nothing like they were after the blow dryer.

"Hiei... You dried my hair," Kurama said slowly, almost stunned.

"So what?" The spoken fire demon shrugged. "I used a little of heat while brushing them. No big deal."

"Well... Thank you," the fox demon uttered softly. Hiei shot him a look, but then smiled a trifle.

"No need to thank. I got my reward already." Kurama blushed to bright red at this comment and quickly looked away, wishing that he hadn't understood what 'reward' Hiei had talked about.

"We-well... I have to go to get the groceries now" he said, changing the subject motioning to his door. Hiei frowned.

"And what about your homework?"

"Ah. I forgot the papers at school so I won't be able to do them."

"And why is that?"

"Because they are special chores only for me, so I can't call to someone and ask a copy."

"No, I meant that why did you forgot them? You never forget anything."

"Ah, well... I had something on my mind at the time, so... It's quite human to forget things!" Kurama's flush deepened when he tried to find an excuse without telling the real reason.

"Oh, yes. I think it is. At the state you were in, anyway," Hiei smirked. He loved this. Seeing the always calm fox sweating in his shirt and making up pathetic excuses, avoiding eye contact, and such, was a sight. The fire demon was paying back all the things and suggestions the redhead had played on his expense. Who would've known that it was so easy to tease him? And on the way Hiei was making his own progress. Two birds with one stone. This was just too much fun! He was doing things way easy, letting Hiei to be so close. _I guess he's trying to act normal but is too polite to shoo me off. The fox's over-politeness is going to cost him dearly._

"Anyway, I have to go now." Kurama was standing at his door and now pulled it open. Hiei followed. Kurama walked downstairs and to kitchen. Hiei followed. This was really creepy for Kurama, having Hiei were he couldn't see him, but he was too polite to say anything. _Stay cool about this. Cool, remember?_ He calmed himself and walked to the kitchen-counter. He took the money on top and stuffed them in to his pocket and eyed the list. That followed the money then and Kurama walked out taking his keys from the bowl at the entrance on the way out. Hiei followed him suit. The fox started to walk his way to the store, Hiei walking by his side. They didn't speak. _Well, this is almost like the old days, _Kurama breathed, relaxing a bit.

"So how's your 'school' thingy going?" Hiei asked suddenly. Kurama stared the boy in disbelief. Was Hiei actually trying to start a conversation? Was there a sudden winter in Makai that Kurama didn't know of? He knew miracles tend to happen, but this was considered more like the eighth wonder of the world.

"It's going okay. I'm still the top student."

"And how is that human mother of yours?" the fire demon asked politely. _Oh, my god! He _is_ making a conversation! _Kurama gasped in his thought. _Cool it Kurama. This might be a good thing._

"She's doing fine. Her company was very understanding and helped us in many ways. Now she's doing a lot over-time to make up for her absents, though... But she's very happy with her new life with my stepfather. Actually she hasn't even had a cold after the wish." Kurama chuckled, remembering the happiness-wish.

"And what's so funny with that?" Hiei asked gruffly. "You almost died in there." The fox looked at the fire demon. Hiei was glaring at him under his brows.

"But I didn't," Kurama uttered softly. "And that's all thanks to Yusuke."

"Hn. Got to thank him yet."

Kurama was surprised of all the new discoveries of Hiei he had shown in the few days. _He's obsessive, jealous, persistent, a pervert! ...but also caring, gentle, -- Whoa! Stop right there! _Kurama was shocked of his thoughts. _And a very good kisser,_ a little voice added. _Where the hell did that come from!_ He shook his head. _Don't think like that! Okay, now, something else._ Then he thought of a very good question.

"You said you love Mukuro?" Kurama asked. Hiei shot him one of those looks. The fox was sure that the fire demon would tell him off. Instead, a smile crept on the man's lips.

"So there your thoughts were," he stated. Kurama suddenly realized that he had just revealed him that he had thought of last night. Mentally hitting his head he only sweatdropped and gave a lop-side smile. What was wrong with him! Wasn't he thinking _anything_, anymore?

"Well," Hiei started. Kurama was in shock. Was he really going to answer? "When we talked with Yukina a while ago, the subject came to you. I described to her my... symptoms. She came to the conclusion that I may be in love with you.

"She also explained that this wasn't the same thing as it was with her. I only want Yukina to be well and happy. Being with her all the time isn't necessary. I thought I'd be shocked, but it actually settled my troubled mind a bit, realizing my deep liking to you. At the same time Yukina told me that I may love Mukuro too. By her words I had a deep respect for the woman that might be more. That I may consider her the mother I never had; that I loved her like a mother. That really made me think.

"The next time I saw Mukuro, I told her all about this. She said she would be happy to be my mother. It was a weird moment, believe me. But she is probably the first one to ever give me motherly advice."

Kurama just listened in awe. This was the longest speech Hiei had ever made. _It's true then. Love does change people. Or demons in this case._

"What kind of advice did she give you?" The red-heads curiosity had climbed almost to its peak. It was interesting seeing Hiei this open.

"To go after you," he stated shortly, looking straight to the widening bright green eyes.

"She told you to go after me?" Kurama said in disbelief and a little terrified.

"Hn. After hearing my feeling, she putted me on lay-off, threw me out and warned me from coming back without you. She also said that he had noticed the attraction between us almost immediately. If I'd come back without you, she said she would kill me for showing that Mukuro, a lord of the underworld, was wrong." Hiei shrugged casually. "I think I'll just stay here, thanks."

The fox-spirited man chuckled. Mukuro was still stronger than Hiei. Then he noticed that they had already walked to the central city and looked around for a good groceries shop. But the fire demon just took Kurama by his hand and started to lead him somewhere. Soon they stood in front of a big store.

"Here. We go here," Hiei said simply and led the amazed beauty in.

"How did you know this? And why did you decide to bring me here?" Kurama asked looking around the great selection. He had one or twice came here, but didn't like its spaciousness. He always felt really alone. Well, he usually was alone, but that wasn't the point.

"Your mother comes here more often than the other stores," Hiei said simply.

"You know which stores my mother uses?"

"Well, I haven't been in the human world for this long not to know _some_ things. I just spotted your mother here twice or trice and got curious. I thought it would be handy to know about her," he shrugged.

"You... You followed my mother." Kurama said. Hiei looked a little up, at him. "For how long?"

The fire demon shrugged again.

"About three weeks."

"Three weeks!" Kurama almost yelled. "Since when did you have so much time? Wasn't Mukuro against it?"

"I wasn't working for Mukuro then," was the simple answer. Kurama was in shock.

"When exactly you did this?" he asked with a held breath, his green orbs searching the man's features.

"Before my first theft."

"You mean before we stole the three grand treasures of darkness?" he breathed. Hiei only nodded.

"Did you by any change follow me too?" Another little nod.

"For how long?" He had to know. But he feared the answer.

"Three months."

"Three months!"

"That's how I knew to ask you along. I knew of your mother's condition. Though, my plan wasn't including you to actually use it. _I_ was going to."

"You didn't know the price, did you?"

"No." Then Kurama noticed that they had been standing quite a while at the entrance of the store, holding hands. They were actually getting some looks by now. The redhead could only wish they looked like relatives. He then tried to pull his hand off of Hiei's as unnoticeable as possible, but the brunet only tightened his grip.

"Um, Hiei... Can I have my hand back now?" The fox-man finally asked calmly, but actually he was really nervous. Hiei took a glance at Kurama then at their hands and back to the man. The he looked away.

"No," Hiei simply said.

"Hiei, I have to shop now. I need my both hands," the beauty tried to reason with the fire demon, sounding desperate. "I'll buy you ice-cream," he said as his last resort. Hiei seemed to think this awhile then released his grip. Kurama took his hand away, so that the shorter man couldn't have it if he suddenly changed his mind.

"Thank you. Is chocolate okay?"

"Hn." Hiei looked away. "So what do you need?" he asked. The fox reached in his pocket and fished out the list.

"The first would be... The meat. That would mean that we have to go to the meat-desk, obviously. Let's take a cart and get going."

The shopping went fine after that and Hiei even gave a hand at finding things, though Kurama had to tell him not to use his Jagan. When they walked outside of the shop, the fire demon was strangely quiet. Or quiet again. But still he seemed to be angry about something.

"What's wrong?" the fox finally decided to ask, when he couldn't take it anymore.

"They were staring at you. All of them."

"Who were?"

"Drooling all over you and checking your ass. Stupid humans…" Hiei trailed off, mumbling to himself, and fuming.

"Hiei, what are you talking about?"

"Those stupid human females! Looking at my fox! I should just kill them all..."

"Hiei, don't you dare! There's nothing wrong just looking. Better that having to talk to them. So just drop it. And," Kurama continued little sharply, "I'm not _yours_."

Hiei just looked at the redhead but decided to say nothing. But soon he noticed that something was wrong with the picture.

"Where are we going?" the fire demon asked when their walk took them somewhere else than back to Kurama's house.

"I'm going to stop by to see Yusuke and Keiko," the beauty said and flipped his red locks out of the way with an elegant swish.

Hiei growled to anyone looking at Kurama. This was really getting to him. _Why does he have to be so damn beautiful!_

Their walk proceeded in silence then. Hiei wasn't used to talking so much. Luckily they soon reached the ramen shop and Kurama walked in smiling. The shop was half full.

"Welcome!" Yusuke came from the back and then noticed who his customer was. "Kurama!" he yelled, a wide smile splitting his face from ear to ear. He ran to the fox and hugged him excitedly. Over Kurama's shoulder he saw the other visitor. "Hiei!" He let Kurama go and led them to sit by the counter, though the redhead tried politely to refuse. Yusuke firmly seated them and yelled at the back of the shop.

"Keiko! Came to watch what the wind brought in!" He hurried behind the counter and turned for the two. "So, what can I get the two of you?"

"I can't absolutely take anything. Mother is cooking tonight," Kurama said apologetically. Yusuke dismissed the apology with a swish of his hand and turned to Hiei.

"Do you want anything?"

"I'm eating at Kurama's also," he responded. Yusuke raised an eyebrow at the straightness. Just then someone waived to him requesting for the check.

"Just a minute, I'll be right back." With that he took the bill and went to deliver it. Then some beautiful woman came to the counter, leaning with one elbow beside Kurama.

"Well, hello there. Do you mind if I sit here?" She smiled seductively and pointed the seat next to Kurama's. Kurama smiled politely and was about to answer, when a low voice next to him spoke.

"Yes, we do mind. Go somewhere else." Hiei said growling at her. Keiko came at the same time finally from the back and froze at the strange situation. The woman frowned to the boy and came around from the read head's side to look at him firmly. Hiei turned at his seat to look her straight in the eye.

"Excuse me, but I thought I was talking to him," she said putting her hands at her hips and tilting her head a little. "So mind your own business, shorty." Kurama tried to get between them, but Hiei gave him a menacing stare, which pushed him back to his seat, and looked again at the woman.

"He _is_ my business," he frowned at her. "So you bug off."

"Oh?" The woman laughed. "So who are you? His over protective little brother?" she mocked.

"No," Hiei stated gruffly. "Of course not. He's my boyfriend." The woman looked shocked.

"Hiei!" Kurama said loudly to the shorter man. "I am not your boyfriend! How many times do I have to tell you!"

"Hn. My mistake," Hiei answered and turned again to the woman. "He's my soon-to-be boyfriend," he corrected. The woman looked at him wordless, but then smiled a little wickedly.

"I like that. Good luck, kid, and don't give up," the woman said and left. Hiei turned again to the counter. Yusuke had came back just in time to hear the rest and he and Keiko looked at them in awe, frozen at their chores.

"I am _not_ his boyfriend," Kurama said with a firm and a little angry voice. "And never will be," he shot daggers at Hiei. "So stop staring!" he said loudly, again to Yusuke and Keiko. Keiko totally ignored the fox and moved to talk with Hiei. Yusuke and Kurama just stared and the koorime lifted his gaze to meet Keiko's.

"Do you really mean that?" Keiko asked seriously from Hiei. The demon only nodded. "Why?" she continued curiously.

"I love Kurama," Hiei stated seriously. Kurama winced at the words. It sounded almost as if he was in love with Hiei also, but just retarded at the subject. Keiko's face suddenly lit up, and Kurama swore he saw little hearts fluttering in the background.

"Well congratulations!" she smiled. Kurama mentally fell over. She really made it seem like it. Hiei blinked at her a few times but then smiled slightly.

"Thank you." Kurama watched Hiei like never before. This smile of his was genuine and happy, though small. He had never seen it.

"I wish you the best of luck at getting him. He's a great catch," Keiko winked at Hiei. Hiei's smile turned to mischievous and he looked at the fox sitting close.

"I know." Kurama shivered at the promise - or threat - in Hiei's eyes. He really didn't want to be alone with him any more.

"Yeah. This is great news. I always thought you two look good together," Yusuke said encouraging.

"Oh, no. Not you too," Kurama buried his head in his hands, the red locks falling like a closing curtain. "Everybody's against me," he said hopelessly.

"Now, now, Kurama. You'll do just fine with Hiei. Don't worry," Yusuke patted the beauty's shoulder, over the counter.

"Hiei," Keiko said, gaining attention. "Could you come over here for a second?" she asked motioning to the back of the store. Hiei looked at her with a blank expression that could only be read as a slight rise of an eyebrow. "I need to talk to you," Keiko explained. And then she added at the curious looks from the other men, "Alone."

Hiei nodded and moved to the back with her. Kurama could hear the start of the conversation before Keiko shut the door. "So do you have any plans…?" The redhead could only guess what they were talking about.

Topics, logically speaking: They had never talked before, and they wouldn't be talking of Yusuke or weapons, taking the others interest's in note. Those were the topics, separately, that he could think of. Could they be talking about food? But then there was no reason to leave. Their only topic in common, that they couldn't let him hear of, would be… him.

Feeling quite depressed, Kurama rose from his seat and bit farewell to Yusuke, saying that Hiei could follow him when he was ready. The fox took the groceries and left, totally forgetting to ask Yusuke to train with him, in the lights of new evidence. He sighed.

This evening's dinner would be a long one.

* * *


	3. Ch2: Dinner

Dictionary:

Jigen Tou: the secondary sword, Kuwabara learns at the end of the series. English name found in the chapter.

Tadaima: 'I'm home'

Okaeri: 'Welcome back'

Itadakimasu: 'I take this (food) with gratitude'

* * *

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 2: Dinner

Kurama made his way home. His thoughts circled on the events that had just happened. How come everybody was so against him? Yusuke had given him a pat on the back about it, Keiko plotted straight against him with Hiei, Yukina had gladly explained to his brother that he was in love and Mukuro had practically thrown Hiei at him. He only needed his mother to accept this whole thing and pay for the wedding and it would be just perfect.

He needed to ask this about Shizuru or someone else sensible. But just when he would need her, Shizuru was in Europe, working at her company's new subsidiary company and was very busy there. She had also said that it would be a great opportunity for her to develop her psychic-skills at the same time, since Europe was full of them. Or so they said. Kurama couldn't talk to Yusuke about it seriously (not after the pat). He would've liked to talk to someone 'reasonable', like Yukina or Keiko. But, he already knew their thoughts of the matter. Unfortunately.

That didn't leave much people. Kurama snorted at the thought of telling his blind 'King', Yomi. He would be laughing his horns off and probably would give Hiei all the resources he needed, just to get back at Kurama. Nope, he would definitely pass that 'help'.

Well, he could always talk about this with Kuwabara and probably could get some back-up, but the man was at the Dark Tournament at the moment.

Kurama wouldn't have believed that Kazuma would go there willingly again. But the tall man had said that he had had a good thought about it and since he knew what the younger Toguro brother got for a wish, he was about to wish something very alike. But he didn't want to be reborn as a youkai, so they had together thought about the wish carefully and come up a good one: Kuwabara wished he would live just as long as Yukina. That was enough for him and gave Yukina a chance to be with her beloved.

Surprisingly, Hiei had nothing to say. Kurama guessed that he was relieved that his sister would always have someone if Hiei couldn't be there for her.

So Kuwabara had left to the tournament with Chu, Rinku, Jin and Touya. They were more than willing to come; they were totally bored after the peace in Makai. And they had real confidence about winning, since Kuwabara had learned how to properly use his Jigen Tou (dimension blade) and Kurama had given him some special training. He really hoped they'd win the tournament. Everybody would be so happy. Even Hiei. Humph. Though, it really didn't matter. Hiei seemed to be just fine with only making Kurama's daily life unbearable.

Kurama frowned in his thoughts. Why had Hiei even picked him? Why hadn't he fallen for someone else? Well, he was always at the fire demon's side, help— assisting him, taking care of his injuries and battling with him, more often at the same side than not.

He had made tons of jokes at the half-koorime's expense and always gotten away with it without getting himself burned. If Kurama wouldn't know better he'd say that the fire demon was only playing some lame joke to pay him back all those times. But, unfortunately, Kurama did know him. This was no joke. But now that he thought about it, Hiei had always been softer on him. Being more worried of him than the others, always close to him and more comfortable around him than around others. But then again, how could've Kurama been prepared for what happened just yesterday?

And that didn't even consider just the confession. But the trap too. Hiei had stolen his first kiss without even so much trying and there wasn't at least a way for the fox to be mad about it. Well it wasn't the first kiss, technically, but it was the first for the body of Minamino Shuichi. The first after he had learned about these frail feelings such as love.

And it felt so strange. It must've been because the experience was so new to him in this body, but it felt so passionate and fantastic that he almost wanted more. But there always was that 'be careful what your wish for' -thing, 'coz he got more, oh did he. Kurama brushed his lips with the tips of his slender fingers and blushed slightly. Then he sighed heavily. In his past life he had had his share of lovers, of course. He had been a youko, and a damn beautiful one. Of course people almost lined up to his stairs to get a glimpse of the elusive him. The Master Thief of Makai.

Yeah, right. If he really were such an excellent thief, he wouldn't have been caught by Hiei's scheming this easily. And here he was, trapped, gagged and tied. He just couldn't get out of this one, no matter what he might try.

The most surprising part was Hiei's rudeness. He really didn't get scared easily. As if Hiei knew Kurama would eventually respond with love. He was like a hunter after his prey and for Kurama; this was something way too familiar for him. He had got caught once. For the last time in his life.

So he didn't want to be caught again. Not even by Hiei. No matter how absurd that sounded. He would just use his superb, over thousand year experience, to get Hiei to quit. Since there was no way out, he just had to work from the inside.

_But it would really help to get some back-up, just in case,_ Kurama thought just as he arrived at his house. He fished out the keys from his pocket and made his way in.

"Tadaima!" he yelled, second time today. And this time there was an answer.

"Okaeri, Shuu-kun!" Shiori answered and came out of the kitchen wiping her hands on some rug. Kurama took his shoes off and headed for the kitchen to drop the groceries. Shiori hugged her son despite the redhead's load of food. She extended a hand to take a bag.

"Oh, let me help you dear."

"No need, mother. I got them this far, I can get them in place too." He shooed his mother's helpful hands off and smiled to her. Shiori just shook her head at the stubbornness and followed her son. She returned to the stove where she was undoubtedly making the dinner. Kurama started to put the groceries away, trying to still think.

"How was your day at school, dear?" Shiori asked for a conversation.

"Fine, mum. The test week starts in two weeks then we have the one week holiday." He answered, not really paying attention. Shiori noticed this and tried again.

"Have you planned anything for the week?"

"Nothing special..." he murmured. The woman frowned and tried once more.

"Hope you have something to do while we're away. So you won't be bored."

"I won't, mother..."

"Shuichi-dear. Are you sure you manage alone for a whole week?" she asked tilting her head a little and putting her hand on her hips, looking concerned. Kurama finally lifted his head from the fridge, closed it and walked to her mother.

"Positive, mum. You don't have to worry a thing. I'm a big boy now." He hugger her for reassurance. Shiori sighed and hugged her son back.

"Yes, of course you are." She pulled away slightly to look up to her son's eyes. "But I'm your mother and that will never change. Nor that I will always worry you," Shiori said. Kurama smiled warmly to her and seemed to melt, in some strange way.

"Thank you," he said softly as he stepped away.

"For what?" Shiori arched a brow.

"For being my mother," he answered. Shiori was very touched of this and her eyes shimmered. She could feel the tears swell in her eyes, so as Kurama went to put the rest of the groceries away, she turned to her cooking's and wiped her eyes with the corner of her apron. A while passed by before Shiori remembered something.

"Ah, Hiei-san came," Shiori said unexpectedly.

"Hm, really? What did he want?"

"Minamino Shuichi!" His mother exclaimed. Kurama winced at his whole name, which Shiori only used when he had done something wrong. The last time was almost decades ago. He continued putting the orange's on their bowl.

"I'm sorry, mother. I just thought it was a little early and since I can't think of any other reason, I was wondering. I didn't mean to put it so bluntly. Sorry."

"It's okay" Shiori calmed and smiled. "He just happened to be in the neighbourhood and thought of coming early. I sent him to your room with some cookies."

_What! He's here!_ Kurama stopped in mid-way of finally putting the bread away, almost chocked at the surprise and turned to his mother, again composed.

"Well, I guess I have to go see him then," he smiled to his mother and turned to head upstairs.

"Shuu-kun," his mother said suddenly. The redhead turned to her with a questioning look. "Why don't you take some refreshments to him while you're at it? The cookies are probably too sweet," she asked handing him a bowl of sliced carrots and cucumbers. Kurama hesitated a while, but decided to please his mother and take them up. I wasn't his fault if Hiei didn't eat them.

Kurama made his way upstairs, thinking at the same, what he could do to Hiei, to keep him off. Literally. He frowned at himself looking discomforted: He really didn't want to use it, but it seemed it was his last resort.

He had to be cold to him. This decision was made with great reluctance, since it had taken so long to befriend with Hiei. But then again, their friendship seemed to be gone anyway. And it suddenly hit him. He stopped at the second floor, hand still on the handrail.

He had lost a friend. As much as he didn't want it to hurt, it did. And the worst part was that Hiei was just there. And there wasn't anything between then anymore. Kurama felt again like crying. With Kuronue it was just as hard, but then he had to let him go. Kuronue had actually died. For real. But with Hiei, only their friendship had died. _He_ was still there.

And the thought that Hiei would destroy their friendship just like that, only to satisfy his mere lust, made Kurama angry. Maybe it wasn't so hard to be cold to Hiei. After all, he wasn't anything to the fox anymore. Kurama tried to savour the anger inside him, which made him feel odd. He really didn't get that easily angry at people nowadays. It almost made him feel sick. Swallowing hard he went to his room.

Hiei was sitting on his usual place at the windowsill. The noise of door shutting got his head to turn at him. As soon as the fire demon saw Kurama, a mischievous smile crept to his lips. The redhead noticed this, but didn't comment and turned to his table.

"Mother sent you some snacks as you wait," he said as he put the bowl at his desk. Suddenly he felt strong arms close around him and he drew a quick breath in shock but then stiffened. Hiei chuckled slightly at his back.

"So are we playing cold now?" He mused. Kurama stiffened more. _How did he guess so quickly?_

"Do you really think that I'm blind?" Hiei asked him mockingly. "I could feel your turmoil almost two miles ago." Kurama quickly put a guard around him and his feelings. _But Hiei already noticed!_ The only significant sign was his fist tightening a trifle. The green-eyed beauty lifted his head to look from the mirror at Hiei, with a hard face.

"Could you now release me?" said Kurama calmly and started to move Hiei's hands. But they only tightened around him and he couldn't prevent the unconscious jolt at his stomach. He fought against the thought that said it was actually quite comfortable there, and struggled more.

"Hiei. Let me go," he said though his teeth.

"No."

"Hiei. I'm warning you. Let me go."

"No."

"Hiei!—" before Kurama had the chance to come up with a better threat, he was (again) on his bed pinned (again) by Hiei. So the fire demon was up to cheap tricks, huh? Using his speed, that little –. The thought was cut off, though. Kurama realized in shock that Hiei had his wrists only with one hand and the other... was getting a silk ribbon from the koorime's pocket. The fox-spirited man's eyes widened and he quickly freed his hands trying to ... well ... do something! But when it was matter of speed, Hiei collected the escaped hands and tied them to the bed-pole, before Kurama could push the fire demon off and get free.

"What are you doing!" he almost yelled and yanked his home-made hand-cuffs few times without actually expecting to get loose, but hey, it was worth the try. Besides, he new that silk wasn't a material you could easily break with bare hands and he was a little afraid that the bed-pole would give up sooner that the band. That would be a great story to explain to his mother.

"Shh..." Hiei placed his index finger at the fox's partly parted lips and lifted his gaze to meet a pair of wide green pools. "You don't want your 'mother' to hear and come?" And Kurama didn't. She would probably have a heart-attack due to the sight of her only son making out, and with another man, at not less! _Shit, that was a good pull!_ Kurama shouted at himself for being so incautious. Then he remembered where he was. He looked down at Hiei who was intensely watching him with a knowing smirk.

"What are you smiling at?" Kurama frowned and almost growled. Hiei looked even more mischievous if possible.

"I out-witted you here, didn't I fox?" He nearly purred in response. The man spoken frowned deeper. This was going no-where.

"Release me." He (now) growled. The spiky haired boy seemed even more delighted that before. _This doesn't look good._ Usually when Hiei was having fun, the others... well, were not. This proofed to be exactly right.

"No."

"Why not?"

"I haven't worked on my appetite yet." Hiei answered like it was the most common thing. Then he gave that little smile of his that usually made enemies run like the sable-tooth tigers, being suffered a three month no-meat died first, were after them. You can imagine what Kurama was feeling. Especially after the next statement: "Or rather, I have an appetite to satisfy to."

With that he took Kurama's head firmly to his hands, one hand in the neck and other at his slender jaw and leaned to kiss him. Kurama wondered how it all happened because the next minute Hiei's tongue was almost in his throat and the kiss was deeper, more rough and more passionate than the two- no, three previous. He really didn't want to give Hiei this much courage - it seemed he got more every time they kissed - so since his head was jammed, he decided to bit the shorter demon. Hiei got away quick enough, but Kurama didn't expected him to smile widely (Hiei-widely) back.

"I thought you'd come up with something like that..." He said slowly smirking all the way. Kurama would have looked away in dismiss if his head wasn't in those strong hands still. He got the chance when the fire demon took them away, but was then alarmed of the next move Hiei might think of that he forgot.

"Well let see what do we have here..." Hiei's gaze moved to Kurama's torso along with his hands and the red-head beauty's absolutely terrified eyes.

"Don't you dare." Kurama said with a low voice when he realized what was going to happen next.

"I just want to know how much restrain you got." Said Hiei almost innocently, that is if he would just knew how. There was not a drop of innocence in that angelic face of his. Then Hiei bluntly ripped Kurama's shirt off, while the rosy lips of the fox silently protested at the waist. Now he had to buy a new one. And he so liked that colour.

But it seemed he wasn't only one to like something he looked. Hiei was transfixed to stare the beauty's perfect body. Not too thin, not too muscular and perfectly tanned to give a healthy colour. The fire demon slowly drew his hands down the firm dunes.

"Hiei... Stop!" Kurama whispered but couldn't repress the slight shiver that went through his spine. He didn't want to see what would happen next, so he closed his eyes and prepared to be quiet. He could turn Hiei down in his mind, but he could tell that his body wasn't able to do the same. Not with absolutely nothing between him and Hiei's – lips!

With a start Kurama opened his eyes and gasped for breath as he felt hot kisses at his torso. He wasn't quite so prepared for the effect those kisses had on him. As the spiky haired head rounded the kisses and licks around his nipples, he just couldn't stop a soft moan escape from his mouth. He could feel Hiei smile in his skin and continue.

Kurama was soon getting panicked. If Hiei wouldn't stop and soon, he might just find out that Kurama's body was cooperating with this a bit too well. The fox-spirited man could feel the arousal tightening his (thank god already) tight jeans and his breath getting more shallow at the minute. And when he was just finishing his prayer to Inari-sama, Hiei was on his mouth giving yet another kiss, which he could do, oh, so well. Kurama though of getting the attention with it from the lower part of his body and didn't resist at all. Just then Hiei pulled away slightly, smirking like a salesman after selling a broken vacuum-cleaner with a full test-drive report. If he'd just rubbed his hands together, the picture would be perfect.

"I think dinner is about ready," he whispered with the sexiest voice. (A/N: I mean, how more sexy can you be, when you have the face of a sculpture and voice of a sex-maniac and you are looking lustily at your prey with a little disappointment twinkling at your eyes, when you couldn't do it all the way, and mostly with triumph when you know you have made a huge progress? Yes, I'd say that's quite sexy.)

"Shuu-kun!" Came a voice downstairs.

"Y-Yes, mother!" Kurama yelled after he got over the initial shock.

"Would you and Hiei-san wash your hands? Dinner is almost ready!"

"Of course, mother! We'll be right there!"

"You too Shuichi-kun!" Shiori yelled at Kurama's step-brother. Kurama ignored any more of the yelled conversation between his mother and little brother, composed himself quickly and turned his attention back to Hiei and gave him a steady questioning look.

"I sensed her coming," Hiei explained simply with a shrug. Kurama gave him a looooong look, before answering with a sigh.

"I'm referring to my… restrains. And the fact that you are still sitting on top of me," he said. They looked at each others a while, intense red orbs in soft green ones.

"Well?" Kurama broke the silence.

"What?"

"Would you release me? I can't get off of these on my own you know," said Kurama with a slight duh-voice and added in his mind; '_Without breaking the bed, that is_.'

"That was my intention," Hiei answered looking with critical eyes at the fox, tilting his head to his left a little and crossing his arms. A while went pass by.

"Would you release me now, before my mother comes to watch if we have fallen asleep?" Kurama tried to say it politely, but he just couldn't keep the sarcasm from his voice.

"No," Hiei simply answered. "I think I like you this way."

"You what!" Kurama nearly roared but kept his volume in check. Hiei seemed to enjoy the situation whole-heartedly and finally Kurama got enough of his smug act.

"Fine! Don't release me! I'll just call my mother to do so!" he half yelled, half hissed to the over-confident fire demon. Hiei's face crackled almost inconspicuously, but only almost. Kurama did notice.

"You wouldn't," said the man on-top firmly.

"Just watch me! I'll call her and just _hope_ she doesn't have a heart-attack when she sees me in _bed_, with another _man_, in my _room_! _Tied up_! And that other man being none other than our _guest_! But then again I will never need to see _you_ again, because after _this_ she wouldn't let you near me, let alone in my room, or in the house, or in this dimension!"

Kurama was now very angry at Hiei. He wasn't even sure why was he so heated from some kissing, but the smug smirk on Hiei's face and the confidence that he wouldn't make a sound and just would go along and let him do what he wanted was just too much for Kurama. He could take physical assault almost over his living limit, but this was an outright offence at The Great Thief Youko Kurama! To be held captive and silent and willing by only a mere fear –!

There weren't enough words… He was just mad. And dead-serious. Fortunately Hiei seemed to notice that pretty quickly. And almost hurriedly started to undo the knots.

Soon Kurama was free and Hiei leaped off the bead and stood next to it with a blank expression on his face. The fox massaged his wrists and sat up. He looked at his torn shirt and gave a glare to the fire demon, before getting up and walking to his closet. There he took a white collar-shirt and pulled it on.

"I suggest you go wash your hands now," said Kurama silently, but didn't look at Hiei. When he finished with the buttons and turned, water was herd flowing in the bathroom and the fire demon was nowhere to be seen. _Good. Finally he listens to me. Was about time he realized I'm serious._ With that thought Kurama went to the bathroom also to wash. Hiei was standing in front of the sink and watching the water flow. When the redhead entered he turned to him, with almost a puzzled look, frowning.

"Why do humans wash their hands before eating?" he asked from Kurama. He would have laughed at the accusation on Hiei's voice if he wouldn't be that angry. Actually, he realized, he wasn't that angry any more. But decided to let Hiei have it. Pretending to be angry. That would even help him in his plan on being cold.

"Hiei, it's more hygienic that way. And it's not just water." He walked to the sink, wet his hands and applied some soap. "You use soap also. It gets rid of the dirt in your hands." He rubbed his hands and then washed the foam out. Hiei followed doing exactly the same and then dried his hands in a towel as the taller man had done. Then Kurama leaved Hiei to look and sniff suspiciously at his hands. Soon he followed and they walked downstairs to dinner.

* * *

Kurama and Hiei walked to the kitchen, where Shiori was fussing around the dinner. The rice was cooked, the meat was ready, vegetables steamed and the dressing was in good hands of the human woman. She was slowly stirring it and waiting patiently it to be ready when the two walked in. She smiled warmly at her son, who returned the smile and came to hug her.

"Shuu dear, you really didn't need to change just for this," she noted tenderly when she noticed the white shirt instead of the green one. Shiori could've sworn that her son's cheeks got a faint trace of blush but he only continued to smile at her.

"You do notice everything, don't you mother," Kurama answered little uncomfortably, but looked at his mother in the eye. Before any answer though, he continued.

"Can I help you in any way?" he said. _Well this is odd._ Shiori thought. _He usually tends to the guest first before any helping... My son never forgets his guests. Unless he's doing so in purpose... But that's impossible. Not my son._ So, she was slightly concerned. _And that blush..._

"Shuu-kun, are you all right?" she asked frowning a little and extended a hand to his forehead. Kurama only smiled and let the tender hand to touch him.

"No, I'm fine, mother. Why wouldn't I be?" he answered. Shiori could almost detect a trifle of sarcasm at her son's voice, but that couldn't be it, now could it?

"Well you are a little warm, dear," she said hesitantly. "And you seem a little flushed. I think you are coming down on something. Are you sure you feel okay?"

Kurama tried hard not to blush any more and carefully avoided to look at Hiei, who he just knew was smirking at his mother's comments. _'Yes. Well, mother. Hiei just sexually harassed me upstairs, so that's why I'm a little red.' That would work like a charm…_

"I feel fine, mother. I have never been sick in my whole life; I'm not going to start now. But maybe I'm a little hungry?" he added teasingly. Shiori laughed at this, forgetting her worry. _I guess I'm just imagining things,_ she thought.

"Well, you could set up the table, if you insist, dear. And perhaps call Shuichi down too. He's playing those video-games again and doesn't seem to notice anything else."

"Or course, mother," Kurama smiled and turned to Hiei.

"You can sit down, while I put up the table," he said smiling, but Shiori frowned again. This really wasn't her son, not at all. She really didn't know how to but it, but he seemed almost rude. _And Shuichi is never rude,_ she thought. _Well, maybe he's coming down on something, but doesn't want to worry me and that's why he's acting weird._ This made her smile to herself. _He's always such a darling. Well, I hope Hiei-san understands._

In his back, Kurama could feel the strange looks his mother kept on casting, but really couldn't help it. Being civil with Hiei and cold at the same time, and of course not letting his mother notice the tone, was actually really hard. He could treat the fire demon like a stranger, but then his mother would wonder. He had introduced him as a friend, after all. On the other hand, if he treated Hiei normally, the fire demon could get… ideas. He shivered at the thought. But then again… After tonight, Kurama didn't have to see Hiei ever again, except for business, maybe. Perhaps he could treat the short-tempered boy nicely tonight. But just for tonight. He relaxed at the thought and went on setting the table. Hiei, surprisingly, had obeyed and had sat down.

When he was done with the table he walked upstairs excusing himself first. He headed for his brothers room and knocked it gently.

"Yes!" was a hasty answer from inside.

"Shuichi-kun, the food is ready. Come down to eat."

"In a moment!" Again hastily. Kurama frowned and opened the door. After all, he had knocked. The redhead saw his step-brother staring intensely at a TV screen and holding a joy-stick at his hands with a deep concentration frowned at his face. Kurama smiled. It was nice to have a little brother, even if it was just another danger for him. He could get the more easily blackmailed, but it really didn't matter as long as he could protect both of his mother and brother. Which reminded him of his short-breathed run this afternoon from school. He had to get some training done.

"Shuichi-kun," he said again.

"Shuichi-niichan," was a calm response, but with no eye-contact. The screen was more important.

"Those things have little buttons called 'save' and 'pause', if you didn't know."

"Well, I'm surprised that you do," came a slightly sarcastic answer.

"I do much more that school," Kurama answered quietly and not lying one bit.

"Like what?" the brother asked, but again no eye-contact.

"Nothing, nothing" Kurama dismissed with a little wave of his hand and a head-shake. "Why don't you stop now and come to dinner? Our guest is probably starving by now."

"I can't! I'll lose my 'mood'," Shuichi whined.

"'Mood'?" Kurama asked, slightly amused.

"Yes! I'm on a row now. And I'm just about to pass the second stage. If I stop now, I'll never pass it!" he said. Kurama sighed.

"Fine. I'll do it for you, after dinner."

"Really! You'd do that! You know how!" This time, the first eye-contact. This was interesting.

"After dinner, Shuichi," Kurama said firmly. Shuichi quickly saved and happily put the joy-stick down, and scrambled up.

"So, you said something about a guest? Someone I know?" the little brother inquired from his bigbrother.

"No. He's a friend of mine," _Well, an ex-friend._ "…or more like a colleague. His name is Hiei."

"Hiei? That's a weird name," with that they were downstairs and Kurama sweatdropped. Hiei was clenching a fist under the table; he had heard the comment. Fortunately, no-one else noticed.

They all settled for the dinner and took some rice, meat, steamed vegetables and the sour-cream sauce. Then like from one mouth they all said: "Itadakimasu!"

Though, Hiei only mouthed it, like really saying nothing.

They all ate in silence, time to time Shiori or Shuichi telling something about their day, but eventually getting more and more quiet, when Kurama didn't answer properly, muttering only something like: 'Oh, really' or 'I see'. Kurama was just too tired to put up a good act and only thought of the evening to end. Hiei obviously didn't talk at all. Well, except when he was done after two more servings. Kurama was only on his first way of rice - he really didn't have that much of an appetite - and almost chocked, when Hiei spoke.

"Excuse me Mrs. Minamino," he started. "But could I ask you something?" he said with the most polite voice. Shiori looked up a little surprised, but soon she smiled to the quiet boy.

"Please, call me Shiori, dear. Now what do you want to ask?"

"Well I know this sounds too much, but I was hoping I could ask to stay at your house for a month," Hiei said clearly. Kurama dropped his chop-sticks. Shiori decided to ignore her son's clumsiness.

"Well, this certainly is unexpected. Why so suddenly and why for a whole month? Don't you have school?" Shiori inquired from the boy.

"Well, I don't have school. I'm already... um... graduated. I'm on a leave from my work, which is quite far away as is my home, and I was hoping to spend the holiday with Ku— your son here. And most of my friends live here too, including my sister. It really isn't necessary, though. I can always stay in a hotel," he ended dismissively. Kurama bit his lip. _You can say that Makai is quite far, all right_, he thought bitterly. _This is something mother can't pass up. Damn! When did he come up with this!_ And the fox was right.

"Oh, no! Or course you can stay here," Shiori breathed. "This was just so sudden. We haven't prepared the guest-room or anything yet."

"Well, I would have spent the time in my sister's house, but there just wasn't any room. So I thought of coming here. You son is a very good friend and I knew I could trust on him," Hiei glanced at Kurama mischievously and smiled a little. Kurama was fuming. Was Hiei really going to spent the whole month in here, in his house! _Like Yukina didn't have any room, don't make me laugh. She lives in a temple! With only Genkai!_ And since when had Hiei knew anything about hotels? Or 'graduating'?

Then the answer hit him; Keiko. This was obviously a planned thing. No wonder it seemed like a rehearsed speech.

Shiori melted at this comment. Her son was such a great person. She turned to him.

"Why haven't you told that Hiei-san was having trouble finding a place to stay?" she asked like she was hurt at the matter that her son wasn't confiding with her.

"I really didn't know that myself, mother. I just heard about it," he answered calmly acting slightly sheepish, but his fist clenched harder at his knee. He placed his chop-sticks back down beside his half eaten rice; he wasn't hungry anymore.

"But are you sure you wont be bored?" Shiori asked Hiei in concern. "I have my work, my husband is coming only after a week and Shuichi is in school. Are you sure you don't want to go somewhere else?"

"Absolutely. My other friends have no room also, so this is my last option. And your son is the only one going still school, so I'm spending the leaving time with them and my sister. But this really isn't necessary. I'll just go into a hotel, so I won't be a bother."

"No, you mustn't! You must let me have this honour of having one of Shuichi's friends here, when he finally brings one to home. Please, do stay in here. I'm just afraid that the guest-room's cleaning will take at least two days, so you'll have to stay in Shuichi's room for the time being. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, right dear?" Shiori looked tenderly to her son, who was having some trouble with his drink. Kurama coughed hard and couldn't stop, when he heard what his mother had just said. He and Hiei in the same room for two days! He just shook his head to his mother and coughed few times more. Hiei was, of course, enjoying all the way. _That bastard…_ The redhead thought.

"Is it okay with you, Hiei-san?" Shiori inquired from Hiei.

"Of course," the boy answered to her before turning to look at Kurama in the eye. "It's no problem. At all," he said with a half-smirk, which Shiori misprinted as a smile. Kurama moaned in his thoughts.

How the hell was he going to get out of _this_ one!

* * *


	4. Ch3: Rumours

Dictionary:

Futon: the traditional bed that Japanese people sleep in. Like a mattress on a floor but not quite.

Hai: an affirmative answer in Japanese.

* * *

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 3: Rumours

He was really tired. The fight had been a close one, and in the end he didn't even know if they had won or not, because somewhere in the middle he had lost his consciousness after a hard blow. He was exhausted now, for he had used most of his youki to give the enemy at least a few blows. He really didn't know what had happened to the others. As he surfaced from the darkness he felt very warm. Too warm, in fact. But he felt comfortable in the dry heat.

"Kurama," said a deep voice somewhere. So Hiei had survived. Good. Maybe he could save the others too. He himself settled back in to the darkness; now he knew he could relax. He was just barely conscious and laid with closed eyes, too tired to open them, and went back to the blessed sleep that would heal him.

"Kurama!" Hiei's voice insisted again, little anxious. But Kurama really didn't want to wake up. He needed this sleep. Surely the fire demon could see that.

"Kurama! Wake up!" the half-koorime shook him a little. Kurama could feel the hand but just frowned and mumbled something like 'I need to sleep', and tried to turn away. Then he felt hot lips on his own. Hiei was kissing him! No way! He snapped his eyes open and the shorter boy drew back a little.

"That did the trick," he was smirking at the redhead. Kurama stared at him blankly. There was something wrong. Hiei would never kiss him, for starters. Or come as close as he was now, at that matter. What was he doing?

"Snap out of it, fox. You're going to be late for school," Hiei said gruffly and rose from the bed. Kurama blinked a few times. Then it all came back to him.

He glanced at the watch on his night-stand. '7:52' it said. And his school started at 8:30. Oh, no! He really was going to be late!

Kurama gasped out loud and jumped of his bed but stumbled slightly. His feet felt a little wobbly, but it was no time to think that now. He ran to his closet, drew some clothes and rushed to the bathroom. There he took a quick shower, dressed even quicker and brushed his teeth. He came out only 10 minutes later drying his hair. He tossed the towel over his bed and collected his books and papers to his bag. Then he gave a few strokes to his hair with the brush, so it wouldn't be too messy and ran down. His boxed lunch was waiting with a note at the counter, which he grabbed with him and stuffed to his bag before dashing out and running towards his school. But he soon had to slow down. He was still tired and his muscles refused to move faster. He obviously wasn't fully awake yet. After two blocks he had to slow down for walking. He was seriously out of breath.

"Thought you were late," came a silent but deep voice behind him. Kurama spun around and saw Hiei standing on the pavement, his hands in his pockets. Was he expecting to be thanked for the waking? _Wake-up kiss._ He quickly pushed that amusing idea away.

"I am," Kurama said reservedly. "Or at least I _will_ be..." He muttered to himself before straightening up. The red-head brushed an invisible dust from his black shirt and took a few deep breaths before nodding a goodbye to Hiei and starting to run again. He had run about half of the way, barely managing, when his vision started to blur a little and he shook his head. That didn't work. He halted abruptly to stop the slight spinning and took a deep breath.

"Humans," said a contemned voice again behind him. _Hiei is still following me?_ He knew exactly what was all the meanings behind a sole word; Hiei though that he was out of shape because he was human. That his body was all to blame. _I really should've eaten breakfast,_ the green-eyed beauty though and blinked a few times to get them to focus. Had he really slept that bad last night?

Then he realized what he was doing. Or, more like, not doing. The fox glanced at a clock in a nearby park and gasped. He had only five minutes to get to school!

"I'm going to be late!" The fox-spirited man breathed. It had been awhile since he had to run to school, but he couldn't possibly get there in time, not when he was this out of shape. He could've taken the buss, but since he'd never used it before, he really didn't know what time it came. For all he knew, he could be more than late, if he stayed to wait. _Why didn't anyone notice that I was still asleep and woke me up!_ He thought furiously to himself. He realized immediately how unreasonable that was. He had gotten up to school, usually even before anyone else, by himself for fifteen years. And suddenly his mother would wake him up when he was this one time late? Wishful thinking.

_But Hiei _had_ noticed…_

Then he felt the ground leaving his feet, the sky was above him and just when he was ready to be hit by the ground he felt the two strong arms, one under his legs and one supporting his back. The view started to go by in a blur. He looked to his side to see Hiei staring past him.

"Hiei! What are you doing! Let me down!" he exclaimed, but did nothing to get off. He wasn't that stupid to try to jump off from a ride that went 20 miles per hour. It would be suicide. Well, at least to his clothes. Hiei turned his gaze to him and smirked.

"I'm faster than you," the fire demon answered simply. Kurama could only marvel on how someone could make bragging to an explanation. But he was also amazed at how easily the spiky-haired boy carried him. Even though the red head was taller, he fit perfectly in Hiei's arms. And Hiei seemed to have no problems carrying him while using his high speed.

"You came back," Kurama said quietly. Hiei shot him a look so he quickly continued. "Last night. You came back last night. I thought you were gone."

"Miss me?" Hiei smiled mischievously. The fox demon lowered quickly his gaze as he felt his cheeks getting coloured.

"No, I didn't miss you," he said harshly, but avoided Hiei's ruby eyes, for he did not know what was imprinted in his emerald ones. "You said you'd be gone that night. But you were back this morning," he ended a little softer.

"I had to," Hiei answered shortly. "Your mother came to check on you before she left. I didn't want to raise suspicions by being absent, since I was supposed to sleep in you room. After that I spend my time watching you sleep." With this 'casual' comment, Hiei stopped abruptly. Kurama noticed just then that they had already arrived to his school and were at the front gate. He hurriedly stood up so that no one would notice _how_ exactly was it that he was there. Then he remembered. His mother left to work at six.

"You watched me sleep for _two hours_!" Kurama yelled to Hiei. People turned at his voice, interested. The green-eyed beauty ignored them, but repeated in a considerably lower voice.

"Did you watch me sleeping for _two hours_!" he hissed to the shorter demon. Hiei gave him a sly smile.

"Hurry up or you'll be late," he answered smirking, and vanished. Kurama clenched his fists, made a few curses in his head, counted slowly to ten, and turned to the big building. He walked quickly to his locker and changed into his shoes, before rushing to the classroom. He sat to his place in the back, next to the window and leaned his head to his hands, sighing heavily. So Hiei hadn't left him alone. He was as persistent as always.

As Kurama dwelled in his thoughts, he failed to notice the looks he was getting from everyone and the whispers with pointing gazes directed at him. He only raised his head when the bell rang and the teacher walked in. They rose, bowed, said good morning and sat back, like every time, but when the class started, Kurama realized that he wasn't able to concentrate and sifted his gaze to look outside, lost in his thoughts. They kept repeating last night's events over and over again…

¤-¤-¤ Flashback ¤-¤-¤

His mother had gone to bed early and left Kurama to take care of the dishes, which he did happily for his mother. Shuichi was in his room playing again, after letting his niichan of the hook - for the time being - for the sake of dishes and a guest. Hiei sat at the table, silent. The calm had continued when they got back to the fox demons room. The half-koorime had quickly found his usual place at the windowsill and watched as Kurama took his old futon out and spread it to his floor between his own bed and the window.

"What are you doing?" the shorter boy finally broke the stillness. The red head didn't even bother to turn from his task as he made the bed.

"I'm making myself a bed," he answered.

"Why? You already have one," Hiei frowned. The taller man went to his closet to take fresh set of bed-sheets. Then he started to strip his western-styled bed from its old sheets.

"You are sleeping on this one tonight," Kurama said and threw the sheets away and spread new ones in place.

"No, I'm not," said Hiei. Kurama stilled at his spot and looked at the fire demon.

"Yes you are. You insisted on 'spending the night here' and since we have no room for you yet, you are sleeping in my room, if you don't remember," the fox-spirited man said slightly biting, repeating the promise his mother had made.

"I remember," the black haired man snapped back. "But I'm used to sleeping on trees. Do you really think that I could sleep on your bed? It has _a mattress_." He almost spat the word 'mattress' from his mouth, like it was something filthy. Probably it was, on Hiei's point of view. Something that made humans even weaker than they already were and thus were disgusting. Kurama hadn't actually thought of it before. He had gotten used to a mattress in the twenty-one years he had spent in the human world.

"I'll take this one," Hiei continued and pointed the futon. The fox demon shrugged and continued his job. He did prefer on sleeping on his own bed, so it was fine with him.

"Why are you still doing that?" the Jagan master asked in his low voice, a little annoyed. Kurama answered him again with a shrug.

"Since I started, might as well change these, so mom doesn't have to," he said just when Hiei thought that he wasn't going to get an answer. Then the fox boy was ready and took the old sheets to the laundry basket.

"You need a pyjama?" The slender beauty asked as he opened one of his drawers. He took himself a pair and tossed them on his bed. Then, when there was no answer, he turned to look at Hiei. The fire demon had come down from the sill and was prodding the pyjama the fox had thrown there.

"One of these?" He sounded disgusted. "I'll pass."

"Then in what are you going to sleep in, exactly?" Kurama asked placing his hands on his hips and tilting his head to his side slightly. When he saw the look on Hiei's face, he rethought his request.

"No, don't tell me," he raised his hands on the air. "I don't think I want to know how you've slept on the same clothes what you usually wear for the past two days. And without a bath." Kurama shuddered.

"But," he shrugged. "Suit your self." He then took his pyjama and went to the bathroom.

"Where are you going?" Hiei said loudly. Kurama stopped in his tracks and turned to give the boy a stern look.

"To change," he said. "Don't you go thinking that I'm going to give you any performances." With that he slipped through the door and the distinct sound of door getting locked could be heard.

* * *

Kurama lay awake trying to get sleep. He stared at his closet, curled under the blanket as he listened to Hiei's even breath, coming from the other side of the bed. Kurama knew Hiei wasn't sleeping yet.

The redhead really made an effort to forget his unsettled thoughts. But it still bothered him. How could've Hiei abandon their friendship? He really needed to know. But… was he just going to ask? Well, he had to. Other wise he'd never know. It wasn't like the black haired demon would spill his beans on his own. Things weren't that convenient in real life.

"Hiei?" the green-eyed beauty whispered softly to the darkness. He could hear the boy's sheets shift and breathing quieten, but there was no answer. He knew Hiei was listening.

"Why?" Kurama whispered again, sounding almost sad.

"Why what?" the fire demons low voice came so loudly that the fox almost jumped. But he didn't want to turn. He didn't want Hiei to see the hurt in his eyes of his next question.

"Why did you do this? Why couldn't you just let us be friends?"

There was a long silence between them. Kurama feared the answer and was nearly holding his breath. Just when he was sure he wasn't going to get an explanation, he heard the half-koorime to take a deep breath.

"I didn't want to be away from you," he finally said. The redhead was a little taken aback. Was it really Hiei saying this? So… filled with emotion… so… sad? Kurama turned to his window and looked on the floor. The spiky haired boy was laying on the futon in his blue sleeveless shirt, hands behind his head and staring at him.

"You wouldn't have had to be away from me. We were friends," the fox demon said back and waited for the real explanation. Or at least something more that would clarify the reasons. Hiei's gaze shifted to the window and his brow creased slightly.

"Think about it fox. It was either this or staying away until my… feelings, were gone. Since I didn't want to be separated from you… I chose this." The ruby red eyes turned to look at him so intensely that Kurama could feel his cheeks getting slightly flushed. He averted his gaze and retreated deeper in his bead, so that he wasn't in eye contact anymore. He raised a hand to his forehead and did what Hiei had told him to do: Think.

He had to admit that the feisty fire demon had a point. If he was in love - totally theoretically, of course - he couldn't keep his feeling inside so that the friendship would continue. Or maybe he could. He was master at lying and probably could live in a lie for a lifetime. Hell, he had done so already. But then again, would he really want to? If he really would find love, true love, would he want to pretend that it didn't exist? And to keep away from the person he so deeply felt? He had been once ready to throw his own life away for a person he cared deeply; his mother. But then it was only to repay a debt. His mother had taken care of him and then it was his turn to take care of her. Right? He sighed deeply and closed his emerald eyes.

"I understand," the red head said finally, giving up. Because he really did understand, somewhere deep down he had learned to call his _heart_.

"You do?" came a deep voice above him. And quite close. Kurama opened his eyes and was startled to see Hiei merely inches away.

"What are you doing?" the wide-eyed beauty asked hurriedly and grabbed his sheets for protection. The half-koorime's frown changed into a mischievous smile.

"Don't I get a goodnight-kiss?" he smirked. The fox-spirited man tightened his grip.

"No!" he almost yelled in answer. But Hiei was too fast and planted his lips lightly on Kurama's. The redhead went rigid and stared at the closed eyes of the spiky haired boy. Then Hiei drew back slightly and looked straight to the shocked green pools in front of him. So he could kiss lightly too, big deal. But when was Kurama going to give in? Even though there was a mattress on the bed, it looked very appealing to him when a certain fox was occupying it. But Keiko had warned him from getting too aggressive. Kurama's like and tolerance could easily turn into hatred if he pushed too much. So he just stood up again and lied down on his own bed, on the floor, by the window. He had gotten in to the house and that was sufficient enough, for now. The man on the bigger bed seemed even more startled.

Half an hour went by. Then Hiei stood up again. He felt how Kurama stiffened immediately. He mentally rolled his eyes. All three of them.

"I'm going out," the fire demon stated and opened the window. He heard how the man spoken to turned in the bed.

"Where?" Kurama asked more out of habit than any other reason.

"No where," Hiei answered. "But you aren't getting any sleep when I'm here." Then he stepped on the sill, slid the window back on its place and flitted away. The green-eyed beauty sighed deeply and settled in the covers. It was weird to think that Hiei possessed any emotions towards others, such as consideration, under that harsh exterior of his.

But Hiei was right. Soon after he had gone, Kurama slipped in to a heavy sleep. But his night was restless and he saw strange dreams all night.

¤-¤-¤ End of flashback ¤-¤-¤

Kurama snapped back to reality when the bells rang again. _Oh, no!_ He had been daydreaming for his whole class!

After promptly making himself notes on what he should revise on at home for the missed class, he gathered his books and replaced them with the next subject's. In his university they had certain studies in certain classes and he luckily had both in the classroom in question. But since most of the students - like him - stayed in the class for the brake, he opened the window next to him to get some fresh air.

It was a highly respected university that every one wanted in and only few did. The classes were advanced but unlike he had expected the atmosphere was nice and he had actually made a few friends. Even though they all competed against each others, they made it a friendly way.

"Oi, Minamino!" he heard a man's voice shout at him. He turned away from the window and smiled at the three boys and two girls that were advancing to his direction. He settled at his table and the gang gathered around. It was a perfect place and since it was secluded from others, they usually gathered around Kurama.

"What's up?" he asked casually. He really didn't expect them to exchange meaningful looks between each others. He looked questioning the boys, but it was Hiroko that answered.

"Are you really taken, Shuichi-kun?" she finally breathed out impatiently. Kurama was slightly taken aback.

"What are you—?" he started. Didn't get that far.

"We know of your little 'episode' yesterday, Minamino," Taikan interrupted like it was explaining it all. Kurama just looked at him, puzzled.

"My little episode? What do you—?"

"Your little encounter with your fans at the gate and the heroic save from a wandering black knight in shining armour, so to speak, that claimed that you belonged to him," Masato ended dramatically. Then he looked at Taikan innocently wondering, totally ignoring the horror on Kurama's face. "His name was beginning with an 'H', I'm sure…" Taikan also started to 'think' with Kohei.

"Yes I'm sure you're right. Something like Heei, was it?"

"No, more like Hai-- no that's just stupid..." Kohei answered.

"Could it be Hugh? Like those American names?" said Masato.

"Can't be. I'm sure it was somehow related to Japan... That's how all those girls remembered it," Taikan corrected.

"Hiei?" Kurama asked in a faint voice. They turned their full attention to him again.

"Yes, him," Kohei's voice was suddenly stern. "'Hiei' is the hottest word at the moment and your little love-scene is going around the school like wild-fire. So would you please explain us what is going on? Like for starters, who the hell is he and why haven't you told us you've started dating!" he asked enthusiastically. Hiroko and Kiomi looked keenly at Kurama for the real story behind the scoop. The red head raised a hand to his eyes. He felt like he needed a seat. Thankfully he was seated already.

"Inari-sama. I knew this was going to happen," he sighed to himself. Then gave a stern look at Kohei.

"For starters, Iwasaki-kun, I'm not dating. And Hiei is not my boyfriend, no matter how he claims it to be true. I'm still single," he told this to the girls. They breathed out mockingly exaggerated like they were really holding for breath and then giggled to each others.

"No, honestly Shuichi," said Kiomi. "You really should start seeing someone. Wanna go out sometime?" she winked at him. "No, wait." She looked thoughtful. "Maybe not. After all, Hiei might kill me." This was very funny to all of them and they laughed at the joke. Everyone, except Kurama. _She isn't even aware how close to the truth that is._ He grimaced in his thoughts. Hiei actually might kill someone that he considered as a threat. Kurama had this creepy feeling that Kiomi was frightfully right. Human or no human, they would die.

"So, Minamino," Masato started. "Who is he actually? You seem to at least know him."

"Yes. He's a colleague of mine," Kurama answered the info-hungry audience.

"So you have to see him at work only, huh?" Taikan asked.

"Yes, but I'm not working that much anymore, so not that often. At least," he continued bitterly, more to himself than to his friends, "that's what I thought, until he moved in last night." They all looked at him in amused disbelief. Since it looked like he was telling the truth, Kohei started laughing, soon followed by the other guys. The girls giggled together.

"How on earth did he manage to move in to your house?" Masato howled.

"I have no idea," Kurama grumbled just when the bells rang again. Others had to leave for their own class, but since Taikan had the same subject, he just seated himself next to Kurama.

"So," he started with a whisper when the teacher came in. "Are you gay, then?"

"What?" Kurama was startled at the question but composed his facial features as he turned to look at Taikan for an explanation. The man just shrugged and whispered back.

"Well, he's managed to get famous at your school, stays at your house and you just get redder in the minute as we talk about him. In one day. It's obvious you like him. Otherwise this would have never reached publicity." Taikan gave him a knowing look and turned to his papers and the class. Unlike some dreamers, he was going to attend to the lesson and learn while he was at it.

Kurama was once again lost in his thoughts. So the whole school knew. Great. Just great. Hiei was famous and everyone thought that he was ... gay? He had actually never given it a thought. It came naturally to him that love is love no matter of the sex or species. He hadn't remembered the humans' way of thinking about this kind of relationship.

But that wasn't actually worrying him the most: Taikan was said to be very insightful. Sometimes even annoyingly perspective, knowing things beforehand just by observing. What if he was right about this time as well?

* * *

Kurama's rest of the school day went in a haze. Since his school was a strict one and the pressure was high, everyone was trying to make the best of the worst. Meaning the gossip was too juicy to anyone to let go. So the redhead soon got used to the looks he was receiving, and thankful to his friend, he knew why he got them. He'd never thought it would be such a popular gossip, but since _he_ was, why wouldn't his personal business be?

He barely noticed when the classes ended and walked slowly out of the building. His friends were used to his 'antisocial-after-school' -exterior. They were never invited to the beauty's place, so they never expected it. Even his fans had gotten the scare, or just staying away for some other reasons. Kurama walked out of the gates alone.

But he wasn't alone for long. As the green-eyed beauty had expected, Hiei soon appeared walking beside him. Kurama was just pondering how he didn't sense the fire demon at all, when he felt slightly light-headed. He raised a hand to his forehead to steady his vision, when he lost his balance. He fell with a soft yelp of the sudden tumble. And instead of painful solid earth his body met a pair of strong arms under him. Yet again. _This is the second time in a day. It's almost getting a habit._ He grimaced to himself at his lame joke, but the fact that he was still in Hiei's arms didn't go away.

"Sorry," Kurama muttered and looked up to Hiei. The half-Koorime was smirking at him with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. The fox was really too tired to get up, but this gave him some boost. He tried to get off, but wasn't receiving any help. Actually, Hiei just wasn't letting him.

"What now, Hiei?" he asked, sighing, from the shorter boy.

"I can carry you again," the spiky haired demon said and added, "koi."

Kurama looked at him in the eye surprised and then lowered his gaze. Soon he started shaking slightly and Hiei was puzzled. Was the red haired demon that angry of the name? But soon the fire demon got his answer when Kurama first chuckled and the out right busted laughing. The Jagan master frowned. What the hell was going on?

"What are you laughing at?" Hiei asked sounding almost dangerous. When the fox-spirited man had finally gotten his act together that much that he could speak, he looked at Hiei.

"It's just that... That sounded very funny, coming from you," he finally got to say, still stifling his laugh slightly. The three-eyed demon looked even more dangerous when his frown deepened.

"It's not to offend you," Kurama added quickly. "But it's really not you to call me with pet-names. And I think I prefer the old Hiei," he said in the end, quietly.

"But now," the slender man continued more briskly. "Could you put me down? I just slipped; you don't have to carry me all the way," Kurama said pointedly. Hiei seemed to be deep in thoughts but slowly settled him down. The fox thanked politely and they walked the rest of the way home. Hiei never called him nick-names again.

The following three days went uneventfully by. Hiei occasionally insisted on carrying Kurama to school and the latter had few objections. He had gotten very tired and it was fun riding the way in the half-koorime's lap. Besides, the school wasn't any obstacle anyway. Everyone 'knew' of their little affair and Kurama had given up on explaining the real side of the story. Bright-sides were that he was less harassed and more given time of his own.

At home he would make his homework and the usual chores, exception that Hiei was with him all the time. And I mean _all the time_. The only privacy that Kurama had managed to negotiate to himself was the time he was in the bathroom. At night Hiei of course went to his own room, but the redhead could've sworn that he didn't stay there for long. Any other time the fire demon was always present; coming and going the way he pleased, and still working occasionally the taller man's personal alarm clock.

Hiei wasn't that aggressive any more but insisted on being close to Kurama. The fox started to think this as some lame 'stray puppy' -scheme. If he would be followed long enough, he would eventually take fancy to him and carry him home. Like hell he was going to. Still, a few kisses were changed, or rather, stolen. This soon came more of a game to Kurama than any other. He tried to prevent any situations that kissing was dangerously close and Hiei tried to contribute them.

Then the monotonous week ended when something sudden happed. Kurama was just massaging his, yet again aching temples - the headache was getting worse every day -, and leaning over his homework, when he heard a tap on the window. He raised warily his head and looked out to see who it was. It couldn't be Hiei, he was sitting on the bed, but then who? Who was coming out through the window? And then he caught glimpse of the blue hair swaying in the wind and breathed sounding slightly surprised.

"Botan?"

* * *


	5. Ch4: Chicken Soup

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 4: Chicken Soup

"Botan?" Kurama asked quizzically, rose and walked gracefully to his window. He let it open and invited the girl in, grateful that she had waited for an invitation instead of coming right through.

"What are you doing in here?" The redhead asked curiously but tiredly. Somehow he had difficulties to keep his eyes open. _How can I feel this tired in the middle of the day? I haven't even eaten yet…_ Although the thought of eating didn't appeal to him that much. The ferry girl looked at him suspiciously and then glanced at Hiei.

"Koenma-sama wants to see you," she said tentatively, switching her gaze between the two men. Hiei was listening but was still on the bed sitting, seemly bored.

"Both of us?" the fox inquired.

"Yes, both. Yusuke and Kuwabara are already on their way," she replied. Botan seemed to be unusually un-hyper and almost frowning at them, like she was searching something. And thinking. Obviously thinking.

"Kuwabara has come back?" Kurama asked as he moved to find more suitable clothes for the meeting. He was sure this was a new mission and a pair of khaki trousers and a collar-shirt weren't exactly what you would call a combat-suit.

"Yes, he came back a few days ago. They won." She wasn't even exited about that. But then the always bubbly girl suddenly brightened up and returned to her usual self again. It seemed like she found what she was searching for. "I'm going to head back now. You two, come as soon as you can." And with that happy sentence and a wink of an eye, she hopped on her oar and flew off. Kurama didn't even have a chance to say anything more and wondered why she had left so hastily. _Maybe she needs to guide Yusuke,_ he thought to himself. _But weren't Yusuke and Kuwabara already on their way?_

_

* * *

_

In the end Kurama had been too tired to change so they had left pretty soon and Hiei had insisted on carrying him again. On the way the green-eyed beauty had almost fallen asleep in his arms. It refreshed him nicely, but he still felt fuzzy, like he was still in the dreamland and everything seemed unreal. And he felt like he was freezing.

Silence fell as the two demon walked in Koenma's office. The others seemed to be discussing a fascinating subject, all gathered around Yusuke and Botan, and were exchanging information. Koenma was in his teenager form which puzzled Kurama. They all turned to them, now suddenly silent.

"Hey you two!" Kuwabara started. "Long time no see!" He was smiling happily and the few bruises and cuts left on his face didn't even prevent his usual broadness. _'You two'? I thought he hated Hiei?_ The redhead mused before answering.

"Hi, Kuwabara-kun. How was the tournament?" he asked with a smile but could hear that his voice sounded awful. The room swayed slightly so he stumbled to the couch Koenma had acquired there for their meeting. Good for him. He felt exhausted. Kuwabara's smile seemed to decrease slightly but he answered nevertheless.

"It was great, Kurama. I got my wish and since I haven't heard the others complain, I guess they got theirs too. Can't you feel how I've changed?" Kazuma inquired, frowning. Kurama blinked to get his eyes clear and concentrated.

"Yes, now that you mentioned it, you do feel different." The fox-spirited man smiled vaguely. They all seemed to exchange looks and Hiei was staring at him. Before someone could start the 'you don't look so good' or 'are you all right' -crap that he had had in school, he decided to change the subject.

"So, why are we here this time?" He directed his question to the teenaged semi-god. Hiei silently came to sit beside him but Kurama ignored him. He was used to it by now.

"Well, yes." Koenma voice took on a more serious tone. Kuwabara sat down beside Hiei, who barely noticed it, and Yusuke stayed leaning on the wall beside Kurama. They all waited for the reason. Botan was happily hovering around the god.

"I have actually quite exiting news to you all," he started. "My coming-of-age party is coming soon and I wish you all to attend." He looked very proud of himself but they just continued to stare.

"What is this 'coming-of-age' thing, Koenma?" Yusuke asked, sounding almost bored. This was almost like a slap in the face for the god. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"It means," he fumed, "that dad has finally agreed that I'm old and mature enough to leave the 'Jr.' off." Koenma couldn't help but sound slightly smug. "And it happens to be my 750th birthday too. We thought it was a perfect time to do this." He gave a side-glance to Botan who giggled happily in response.

"So?" Yusuke asked again, dangerously steadily. "Let me get this straight: Your emergency call for us all to come here A.S.A.P. was to invite us to a party, Koenma?" His voice was polite. The semi-god didn't notice the danger.

"Well, I hope you can invite Keiko and Yukina too. And others if you have some in mind," Koenma replied. The young Reikai Tantei clenched his fist and lowered his head.

"You little self-righteous son of a god," he cursed silently and laughed to himself before he exploded. "Have you ever heard of an invitation card?" He yelled and almost attacked the terrified teenager. Botan came between them as Koenma hid behind his desk for cover. The ferry-girl put her hands up in front of the furious boy who was swearing to kill the hiding censored someday and tried her best to soothe him down.

"Could you please _shut up_, Yusuke," Kurama said tiredly but firmly. They all went speechless with surprise and could only stare at him. Kurama just said 'shut up', right? You all heard it, right?

_Who the hell are you, and what have you done to our friend!_ were Yusuke's first thoughts.

"I have a terrible headache so could you _please_ be quieter," the red-head continued a little more polite. The black-haired teen found himself out of anger and in a strange situation in which he was seemingly trying to hit Botan. As he now found no reason to do so, he lowered his fist and backed off a few steps, puzzled.

"Well, as I was saying before you went berserk…" Koenma started, regaining his composure behind his desk. "I do have a mission for you guys." This got their attention, but Kurama was anything but excited. All waited was for further information.

"As you might know, there has been a series of burglaries in Ningenkai in the past three weeks," Koenma started to explain and they nodded, save Hiei. The teenager god pushed a button on his desk and the lights went out and they could see a picture of a dark youkai with a pink scar on its left arm on the screen. "It has come to our acknowledgement that behind the break-ins is in fact this little youkai," he pointed the picture. "The youkai is named Pampilowo and is a low-class demon. It never hunts itself, but lives off the leftovers of others. It's not very intelligent but enough so to survive. And it likes everything that shines. I think its strength was somewhere below F."

"Below F!" Exclaimed Yusuke and Kuwabara almost at the same time and even Hiei couldn't hide the slight amazement. Kurama was in a state of daze where he really didn't care.

"Yes," Koenma continued gravely, "I know this comes as a surprise to have you called to a case like this, but it's not the demon I'm worried about. It has somehow obtained to its possession a Dimension Distorter. As it name stands, it distorts gaps in dimensions. Our little youkai uses it to get to Ningenkai to steal jewellery. Normally the Dimension Distorter isn't of any use to most demons, since the gaps don't last that long, and they are quickly caught by Reikai Tantei for obtaining such an object (Our surveillance is almost invincible.), however, Pampilowo has an ability to shift shapes. It has gone to the robbery-trips always looking different. Only this once it made a mistake of going as itself and from its former crime-record, we identified it. Tough luck." He held an amused pause.

"Why I send you is because Pampilowo is causing some disturbances that are unnecessary. And the fact that it has an artefact that belongs to us gives us more than a reason to arrest it. The problem is to track it. It jumps between dimensions more often than Kurama changes his shirt and is never twice in the same place. This meeting is actually just to get you on alert, so you can be ready to go hunting. My men - and women - are at the moment localizing it by the pattern it steals and favourite places and such. I hope you are ready for a quick take-off." Koenma ended the long speech. Kurama had almost fallen asleep in the middle but now snapped out of it as silence fell to the office and the teenager semi-god turned the lights on.

"Well, if that's all, call me when you need me. I need to go," Kurama broke the stillness and woke the others from their trance of thinking. He stood up ready to leave, but the floor wasn't agreeing with him and twisted under him. He lifted a hand to his eyes and tried to find some support somewhere. Yusuke was there in a fraction of a second.

"Are you all right there, Kurama? You don't look so good," the youth said worriedly. The redheaded beauty tried to pry him off.

"Don't ask stupid questions, Yusuke. I'm fine. I just haven't slept that well lately..." he tried to convince them. Yusuke wasn't letting to. Koenma, Botan and Kuwabara had come to him with worried looks on their faces. Hiei was standing silently beside him, but a little concerned frown could be detected. The former fox-demon couldn't handle it. There were too many people around him. He wanted to be alone. Alone... The thought swung in his head as seemed the whole room do.

"Koenma. Could you possibly tell your room to stop spinning…" he uttered stupidly before his legs gave in. He couldn't even feel the fall. The world just seemed to slowly vanish around him. The darkness was ready to accept him in its welcoming embrace, and Kurama gladly took the offer. Now he could finally rest. Like he had always wanted to. Ever since he last died...

Yusuke caught him before he hit the ground.

"He's burning hot!" the black-haired boy exclaimed in surprise. Kurama pondered that before he totally lost consciousness. _Then why do I feel… so… cold...?..._

_

* * *

_

Kurama was really freezing all over. He couldn't stop himself from shivering against the cold threading his body. He had hoped that the darkness would've provided warmth along comfort, but there was no such bliss. He could feel a presence near him that gave a worried aura along with more coldness and he tried his best to get away from it. It kept coming closer and soon he felt cold hands reaching out to him. He tried to fight against them and, panicking, summoned all the power he could find within him to protect himself. Instantly the hands drew away and left him be. He was relieved, but the coldness didn't leave and the new loss of energy was now freezing his whole body, heart and soul.

Then another worried presence approached him and he was ready to flee, or fight even though he probably wasn't able to. But in the midst of worry, Kurama felt warmth. Something really warm that even the coldness of worry couldn't smother. He let the presence come near, tentatively, ready to push it away, but also curiously - like an animal - as to what it was and waited warily. The aura surrounded him and he felt hot warmth, like lava, pouring into him. Finally he could relax as the uncontrollable shivering stopped and the presence felt comforting and shined even warmer to his freezing ice-glaze of unconsciousness, as the worry seemed to clear. Kurama sought the safe in the presence and instinctively curled nearer the heat. He could feel his limbs melt from the freeze slowly and soon he found himself in a deep sleep, safe from the ice.

* * *

The first time Kurama surfaced into consciousness he couldn't see. He only heard some movement from his left and recognized the familiar presence there. He realized he was lying somewhere and covered with something soft and heavy. _Ah… blankets…_ he realized slowly. Then that someone on his left voiced some words which made absolutely no sense to him. He tried to see but his eyes refused to open properly. The figure planted a hand on his forehead and for a moment Kurama was afraid. In his state he could do absolutely nothing if the figure decided to attack. But the hand was gentle and stroked his hair a few times before retreating. A moment later it returned with a wet towel for his forehead and along with it the familiar warmth. He breathed more at ease again and drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Kurama woke up with a start. He stared at the wooden ceiling above him quietly and still, trying to get his senses in order.

_This is not my room,_ he said to himself. _Where am I?_

The redhead slowly rolled to his side and propped himself up as he looked around curiously. The room he was in was small, very scarcely furnished and plain. In the floor there was a basin of water, a pillow beside his bed. A low table was further away, a window on the other side of the room and a sliding door on the opposite. After carefully surveying his surroundings he looked down and realized he was lying on a futon.

Tentatively he sat up. The cover slid down and revealed his bare torso. At the same time something dropped from his forehead. He took the cloth and examined it. He took a look between the water-basin and the cloth. _Did I have a fever?_ He couldn't remember anything such. But clearly someone had taken care of him.

The thing puzzling him the most was the fact that it seemed that he was sick. He hadn't been sick in his life; his youki had taken care of that. He did know how a fever was treated. After all, his mother had often been bedridden because of it, in the past, before the mirror… But now… how? When? Why?

_Think, Kurama. What happened?_ He closed his eyes and tried to remember. _The test week was coming... I was studying for that... I had a headache... and still Hiei wouldn't leave me alone..._ His head snapped up as his eyes flashed open, only to have him close them again as the sudden movement caused pain to shoot through his head. _Hiei!_

Now he remembered the confession, the dinner, the staying-over, and all the _other_ stuff he wasn't sure he wanted to remember. _Something must have happened at Koenma's, since I can't remember a thing after we went in…_

Suddenly he heard a voice. Kurama listened. More came from the same direction, a distance away but now they were so muffed that he could hear only murmuring. _Someone must've yelled, or something._ He was curious about where he was and who was out there. He rose to his feet slowly. The world swayed pretty bad for a while but then kept still. He glanced down and saw he was wearing a pair of pyjama pants. _Good. I'm not totally naked._ But still, someone had changed him into these pajama's…

… …

… … …

He didn't want to know.

Shaking himself, he walked gracefully and soundlessly to the door and slowly slid it open. He was in a dark hallway, but he could see a beam of light coming from a door-crack a distance away from his left. He slid the door close, but not quite all the way through and tiptoed soundlessly to the source of the light.

"How is he now?" a man's voice asked, sounding like he was tired of being mad. _Yusuke?_ Kurama realized, arching a brow.

"Sleeping," an old woman's voice responded calmly. … _Genkai?_ Then it hit him. He was at Genkai's temple. That explained the feudal furnishing. He felt suddenly tired and decided to sit down. Somehow he got the feeling he couldn't go in.

"What exactly happened? How did he get so sick without me noticing?" Yusuke demanded answers, seemingly from himself. He sounded furious.

"Urameshi..." It was Kuwabara. "You can't blame yourself. We hardly see him outside of our missions. It's no wonder we didn't know." He was obviously trying to calm the young detective down.

"Then his mother should've notice, someone at school, his teachers, anyone!" Yusuke was yelling now and seemed to rise to his feet.

"Yusuke-san," said a calm and quiet voice. Yukina. "You are underestimating Kurama-san here." _So they _were_ talking about me. My instinct never fails me._

"What are you talking about?" the boy questioned almost rudely. The fox-demon heard some rustling and a metal scraping slightly.

"Hiei-oniisan. It's okay," Yukina said quietly but firmly and returned to the subject. "Think about it, Yusuke-san. Kurama-san is a demon. Or at least he was. But he was a demon for over a thousand years and has been as a human a mere twenty. As a demon he must have learned to hide his feelings, at least if they were an advantage to a hostile force, an enemy. I cannot believe this instinct of self-preservation could be erased within two decades in Ningenkai. I do not even doubt that Kurama-san may have been unaware of all of this himself. Being sick is not common to a demon, Yusuke-san. Either you are sick or alive." The whole time she spoke quietly with her sweet voice, but firmly enough to make Kurama himself think about the things he had just heard.

"But Hiei was with him the whole time! How come he failed to notice?" Yusuke was obviously trying to find someone to blame.

"Yusuke," said another female tiredly. Botan. "Did you or did you not just listen to her explanation? Hiei is a demon. In the Makai prevails a law that you humans call 'the law of the jungle'. Either you are strong or you're dead. Period. I don't think Hiei knows the symptoms of a sick person, since he probably hasn't been sick himself, ever. Come on, Yusuke. You have brains. Feel free to use them," she snorted at him.

"Gee, thanks, Botan," he answered dryly. Then he sighed and dropped back to sit. "I should've noticed something. I really should've. He came to the shop, for crying out loud! So I _have_ seen him. And I still didn't look close enough to see."

"Yusuke-san..." Yukina said quietly and sadly to the boy.

"Why did I leave him alone? We all knew he came into contact with that demon we fought little over a week ago. How come I didn't ask him if he was ok?"

"Urameshi," Kuwabara said. "None of us knew it carried a virus. It could've infected any of us. It was just a bad luck that only Kurama got it," he tried to calm the boy.

"Well..." Botan started hesitantly and they all seemed to turn to her. The redhead was all ears. "It wasn't actually like that."

"What do you mean?" Kuwabara asked puzzled, voicing aloud everyone's thoughts.

"Well... When Koenma found out about the virus, he did a little research on it and turned out that it's a very contagious disease. We believe that you _all_ were infected by it."

"Why didn't you tell us this before?" Yusuke demanded angrily. "We could've been prepared!"

"This disease doesn't theoretically exist, Yusuke."

"Then why did—" The detective rushed to inquire but Botan cut him off.

"It was a stroke of bad luck for Kurama," she stated, but the youth seemed clueless. "Let me explain. This particular virus works only on demons. It is lured by their life energy, youki, because it feeds on it. A long time ago it was deadly to demons as it eventually drained them empty of youki. But that was a really long time ago, millenniums ago. Now demons have become immune against it and as it doesn't work on humans, it's declared to be extinct and is almost forgotten. We found this information after a long time of digging," she added, making it sound like a lot of work. Which it probably was.

"But then why...?" Yusuke spoke aloud just what Kurama was keen to know.

"He's a half," Hiei grunted.

"Bing bong! You guessed it right," Botan said happily and then there was silence. Only the sound of drinking tea could be heard.

"Okay..." Yusuke said after awhile, his voice trembling. "As I don't seem to get any information out of this ditz, would you mind explaining to the rest of us what you have discovered, Hiei?" He asked 'calmly', only interrupted by a futile "Hey!" from Botan. There was a pause.

"Exactly what I said. He's a half," there was a silence and the fire demon sighed. "His body is human, but his energy is demonic, youki. The energy drew the virus, but his body couldn't take it. He wasn't immune."

"OH! Why didn't _I_ think of that!" Yusuke exclaimed, frustrated.

"I could tell a couple of reasons," Kuwabara muttered under his breath. But unfortunately not quiet enough.

"What did you say, punk! How dare you..." Yusuke exploded and seemed to attack the orange-top for revenge. Kurama couldn't stop a chuckle from escaping his mouth. Then the door was suddenly drawn open behind him and he fell on to the floor, backwards. He looked up baffled and found he was staring into a pair of deep red eyes that were watching him almost angrily. The moment seemed to freeze, until the fire demon broke it.

"What are you doing?" Hiei growled. Kurama was now certain he was in trouble. But he was at a loss of words and started to panic. There shouldn't be anything to explain to him, and yet he found himself trying to make a believable excuse.

"I was—"

"Why were you sitting there?" The spiky-haired boy demanded, before the green-eyed beauty could even start.

"I heard—"

"What were you thinking, sitting in a cold, drafty hallway! Get in!" Hiei was actually yelling at him. The fox-spirited man quickly scrambled up, before he could even realize what he was doing. But he was in a too foggy state to start a fight about it. The fire demon politely stepped out of the way for him, but looked like the storm himself. Actually, he looked quite normal, when you think about it.

The living room was brightly lit and had books from wall to wall. There was a low table in the middle, but they had positioned their 'circle' slightly out from it, discussing the matter. Yusuke sat at the far end but was at the moment strangling poor Kazuma; Genkai was sitting next to him, close to the door, sipping tea; Yukina sat at the other side of the door and had an empty spot next to her. Kuwabara was sitting a little way over, quite close to Yusuke, unfortunately to him. Botan was sitting at the other side of the table, drinking tea, separated from the circle. Now the party was staring at him with surprised and delighted expressions. All except Genkai, who wasn't even looking at him. Hiei guided him to a free pillow and seated him there. After that he disappeared without a word.

"Hello," Kurama greeted everyone, smiling uncertainly. They all seemed to awaken to reality. Yusuke came straight to him and gave him a big hug.

"Yusuke...?" The redhead asked uncertainly. The detective gave him one final squeeze and let go.

"I was afraid that you wouldn't make it," he said and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. "Glad to have you back, mate." He gave Kurama a supportive squeeze to the arm. At that instant Hiei wrapped Kurama in a big warm blanket. The man hadn't even realized that he was cold (or when Hiei had come back). The spiky haired boy gave a death-glare to Yusuke, and then turned his concern fully on the fox-spirited man. The fire demon planted a warm hand to the redhead's forehead, pushing his bangs aside. The red orbs in front of the redhead studied his features intensely, searching for any signs of sickness. Under the fiery stare, Kurama suddenly felt his cheeks get warm and tried to escape the look that was directed at him. _What the hell am I blushing about?_

"What's wrong?" Hiei asked, sounding actually a little bit worried. The green-eyed beauty glanced quickly at the other, but looked quickly somewhere else.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing," he said dismissing the concern and swiped the hand from his forehead away.

"Are you sure? You still have a fever and your face is really red," the fire demon tried again. Kurama blushed even more.

"No really. I feel fine. I'm not sick anymore."

"The hell you aren't," Yusuke said suddenly. They turned to him, surprised. "Do you realize that we didn't detect your youki when you were eavesdropping, Kurama? And when you are sick, you shouldn't be able to hide your youki that well, right?" he asked from the redhead. Kurama slowly nodded, but didn't get the point.

"That means that you _don't have_ enough youki for us to detect," Yusuke said gravely to the fox demon. He then turned to Botan and smiled. "See? I do know how to use them." The ferry-girl gave him the tongue.

"But I feel fine," Kurama said stupefied. "Well, a little tired but..."

"Kurama," Genkai spoke up, the first time since he came in. "Take a seed and see for yourself. Try to make a rose, for example," she ordered. Not believing, Kurama reached to his hair and pulled out a seed. He channelled his youki to it slowly, but nothing happened. He blinked a few times and tried again. Soon his head started to ache so badly that he had to stop. The redhead looked at the seed not believing his eyes and breathing heavily.

"So, at the moment, you are completely defenceless," Genkai stated. "That's why you are staying here until your exams start." Kurama looked up to her, not understanding. Then it hit him.

"School! Exams!" He jumped to his feet and started to panic. "I have to call to Koyanagi or Iwasaki for homework and get to home and—!" He didn't get too far as Hiei tripped him and made him sit again. Then he came up close to Kurama's face.

"You. Are _not_. Going. _Anywhere_," he said dangerously. Kurama tried to back up as far as he could, but that was just a few inches, since he was sitting right up close to one of the bookcases. Hiei was scary when he got mad, and Kurama was totally defenceless against him. Great.

"Don't worry about school," Yukina said kindly. "Everything is handled and your books have been collected. You can study here until the exams start. That way you won't be in any danger." She smiled happily. Hiei moved out of his face and sat on the floor beside him. The patient sighed and gave up.

"How long have I slept?" he asked the petit ice maiden, but Yusuke answered.

"Three days and nights," he said bluntly. _Three day—! Calm down… I can't do anything about it now. Focus on what's important, Kurama!_

"Okay..." The fox tried to think. "So I have this night and four days to read..."

"No," Hiei said. The redhead turned to look at him quizzically and saw a stern look on his face. "You have to rest until you're better," he stated firmly. The beauty frowned.

"Who are you to tell me what to do? My nurse?" he replied angrily. He had almost died and the fire demon was still on his case. Would he give him some slack? But instead of an angry answer, there was a silence.

"Oniisan is very dedicated," Yukina smiled. Kurama fell over.

"Hiei has been nursing me!" he whispered disbelieving to the small girl (as if the others wouldn't hear him...).

"Yes. I tried to heal you, but Kurama-san attacked me so harshly that I almost lost my arm. You accepted only Hiei-oniisan's treatment. That is why he is the only one to do so." She smiled ever so sweetly to him and spoke normally. She didn't see why they would whisper in company. The red head was in shock.

"I attacked you...?" he asked in a small voice. Yukina nodded happily. His heart sunk more. What else had he done...?

"So why don't we compromise?" the girl asked sweetly. "You can study, but if you feel even a little bit tired or get a headache, you go straight to bed, okay? And you must get a good night's sleep or we are not even discussing. Understood?" Even though she looked gentle, this left no room for arguing. Feebly, Kurama just nodded. Then he remembered. The dream. Was it possible that the cold hand that was reaching for him was Yukina's? It made sense. The girl was an ice maiden; of course she would feel cold. So the other one was Hiei, huh?

"Of course. Hiei's a fire demon..." He raised a hand to his forehead. It was crystal clear now.

"So what if I am?" came a sudden deep voice next to him.

"What?" Kurama asked waking from his thought. Hiei was looking at him with a mysterious expression. Was he angry? Hurt? What?

"You said that I'm a fire demon. So what?" he repeated.

"I said it out loud?" Kurama said, surprised. "Sorry, I didn't mean to. It was nothing. Forget about it," he dismissed it, adding a wave of a hand to the effect. "So does my mother know that I'm here?" he inquired from the others, to change the subject.

"Yeah," Yusuke replied, looking as laid-back as he always did. It seemed like now that Kurama was up and going, there was nothing to be worried about. "We told your mother that you were studying for the exams with a friend and that you wouldn't be coming home for the week. Of course, she thinks that you're going to school normally, but what she doesn't know, won't hurt her."

"Ah, right..." the green-eyed man wasn't sure if Yusuke was right or not, but it seemed that there was no other choice. They had obviously already decided that he would stay there for the rest of the week, so there was nothing he could do about it.

"But now you're going back to bed," Hiei said rising to his feet.

"What? I will not. I have slept for three..." Kurama's objections faded as he took a look at the fire demon face. _"Oniisan is very dedicated." You can say that again…_ Kurama brooded. "Fine, fine, I'm going. And don't look at me like that."

"Hn," was the only reply. The redhead rose gracefully up, but maybe slightly too fast. The world swayed in his eyes and he fell back to sit. He blinked a few times, confused. Yusuke bust out laughing and Botan tried to hold back titters. Kuwabara, Genkai and Yukina were smiling good-willingly to him and even from Hiei's face could be detected a trifle of a smile. The fire demon shook his head and scooped the patient from the floor.

"Hey! Wait—!" Kurama protested, but the man wasn't listening. Kuwabara started laughing and Yusuke couldn't sit up-right anymore. The spiky haired boy carried him to his room, normal speed, and laid him down on his futon.

"You really didn't need to do that," the redheaded man pouted.

"You couldn't walk. And _I'm_ taking care of you. It's part of the job," Hiei said simply and tucked him in. Then he took the cloth, watered it and placed it on the fox's forehead. After that he just sat there, glancing at him every now and then.

"Are you going to sit there the whole night through?" Kurama asked quietly. Hiei fixed his stare on him and a mischievous smile formed on his lips.

"Worried of me, Kurama? Touching."

"I am not!" The man protested and turned the other way. He felt his cheeks burning. "I just thought that you might get sick too…" he whispered, but knew the other could hear his lame excuse just fine. He didn't know why, but he felt really sad. So what if he was worried of the other? He didn't have to be so mean about it… He felt a draft of cold wind and then something warm slipped behind him and draped his arms around him.

"Then do you mind if I sleep with you?" a deep voice breathed gently to his neck. "That way I can sleep and keep an eye on you at the same time," he suggested. "Don't worry. Even I'm not that low to take advantage of you when you're sick," Hiei added. Kurama relaxed and tried to make it seem like he wasn't even worried about it, or that he actually liked being where he was at the moment.

"Suit yourself," he shrugged and took a more comfortable position to sleep. Soon he drifted off into a nice, dreamless and restful slumber.

* * *

Morning came uneventfully. Kurama squinted, his eyes adjusting to the sudden rush of bright light, and looked around. The room was the same as it had been the previous evening, but had now considerably more light. He tried to turn around when he heard a small breath behind him and felt slow, hot puffs on his back. He turned carefully in the hands that still held him possessively, trying not to wake the short fire demon. He lay like that, staring at the angelic face in front of him for who knows how long.

"Have you looked enough?" Hiei asked, opening one eye to look at the red head.

"How long have you been awake?" Kurama asked calmly.

"About two hours," came a straight answer. The fox-spirited man sighed. He should've known...

"Then would you mind letting me go? I'm hungry," he said. Hiei let go at once and stood up. Kurama sat up, and then took a look at his torso.

"Could I have some clothes?"

"Hn," was the only reply and he was back in a flash. He gave the green eyed man a pack of clothes and left. _So he's learned some manners, huh…_ Kurama mused. _Or maybe he's scared of what Yukina might think!_ he chuckled at himself. He dressed to the loose jeans and the white collar-shirt Hiei had brought, and was just brushing his hair with his fingers when Hiei stepped inside, without knocking. The fox sighed. _Wishful thinking, Hiei and manners._ The fire demon was carrying a tray with legs which had steamy hot soup and some soda on it.

"Chicken soup and Ponta," Hiei said when he noticed the curious look. "Yukina said that this is what you need when you're sick." He placed the platter on Kurama's lap and left again. Famished, the fox dug in, but at a slow pace. The soup was boiling hot.

The fire demon came back in and settled behind the beautiful man. Then he took his hair in his hands and started to untangle it with the brush he had gone to get. But Kurama extended a hand and stopped the other demon.

"Later, Hiei. I'm eating." Then he turned to smile to the frowning boy. "I want to enjoy it." He winked to the black haired man, who took Kurama by surprise by blushing, then smiling slightly. The red headed man turned his attention quickly back to the food, before _he_ would be blushing too. Hiei moved to his old spot next to the fox. _What on earth made me say that…?_ The red head wondered nervously. But he thought it was heart-warming to see Hiei so happy, and smiled to himself.

"Mmm... This was really good," Kurama said when he had finally finished eating. "Tell the cook my compliments."

"Thank you."

"What?" the red head said surprised. "You made this?" he confirmed. The fire demon just nodded. "I didn't know you can cook..."

"You never asked."

"So I wont be getting any information of you if I don't ask, is that it?"

"Do you want to know?" Hiei asked looking slightly surprised in turn. Kurama blushed lightly.

"That's not the point. I meant that you should tell people things on your own, not waiting for them to ask," he lectured. It seemed that Hiei had nothing to add to it, he only turned to look somewhere else.

The rest of the 'breakfast' went uneventfully. Hiei brushed the red tresses and Kurama made sure he didn't make any… sounds, during the pampering. After that he moved to the living room to study. The half-koorime sat on a windowsill and was focused on the outside life, though the fox-spirited man knew betted and felt safe, knowing who was watching over him. In a few days his fever let its hold of him and he read himself back to knowledge. When Sunday came, he was prepared to go back to school and home.

"No, you can't go yet," Genkai said firmly. "I know you feel much better, but your youki is still weak. I prefer that Hiei escorts you to school and back and you stay here a few more days."

"Yeah, the old hag is right," Yusuke said when Kurama had tried to get some support from him. "There's still a demon on the loose and we don't want you to get hurt. We're going to need you in the future," he winked at the depressed boy. They did let him to visit his mother a few times to show that he was still alive. With Hiei, of course.

_Thank god, this is only for a few more days,_ the ex-patient sighed on Monday when packing his stuff for another exam. Now that he was back in school and Hiei had escorted him, he didn't even want to know what the rumours were like this time. When he had left from school, Hiei had picked him up, and they had walked in the _opposite_ direction of his home.

"I hope they catch that demon soon or my powers would restore more quickly. This is ridiculous." He sighed again as he heaved the bag to his back and went outside, where Hiei was already waiting.

* * *


	6. Ch5: Confrontations

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 5: Confrontation

Kurama inhaled deeply, relishing the fresh air. Well, you couldn't exactly say it was fresh - he was in the middle of a town - but as fresh as you normally breathe in a normal economically advanced town. And to tell you the truth, it wasn't the air itself he breathed so contently. It was more like he was finally getting a breath _alone_ that he was so happy about. He had finally gotten rid of his followers - or stalkers or what ever he was in the mood of calling them - and was now enjoying his freedom. It had been finally Yusuke's turn to escort him to his mother and it had been surprisingly easy to get away. A call to Keiko, and Yusuke's attention wasn't the same anymore. Plus Kurama was certain that Yusuke hadn't thought that guarding him included guarding _that he didn't run away_. The redhead was lucky that Hiei was the only one who knew of his craving for freedom.

The week imprisoned hadn't actually gone completely to waste, thank god, even though Kurama was now marked as 'taken' and Hiei had ended up into a whole new number of hit lists. Kurama had learned many new things about the fire demon, as he had from the other Reikai Tantei members, too.

For one, Hiei had revealed to have a sweet tooth, but not as bad as a child would. He was just fascinated about the fact that there were such good things existing in the human realm. Plus he had such a good memory that he only needed a small amount, for example a bite from a chocolate bar, and he was content. In that part Kurama agreed with him. The redhead had also found out that Hiei's crush on him wasn't that superficial or shot-lived as he had thought. It had all started as a respect for Kurama, regarding his unrivalled strength and wit in battles, his miraculous save from the hunter and the adaptation the fox presented in the human world. Then, as a team, Hiei had seen the loyalty Kurama gave to his friends and the determination he showed when protecting his values or valuables. And all that time he had been helpful and understanding about everything regarding the fire demon, even after he had found out about Hiei's past. Then as time went by, Hiei had found this all very comfortable and started to lean on their friendship, on Kurama, more and more, until he was finally cornered about his feelings and realized the truth about himself. The rest was history of today. There was also something about Mukuro having seen Kurama taking secret peeks of the fire demon in the Makai tournament that the ruler of one third of Makai had finally concluded that they were secretly sharing some deep feelings. Had he really stole glances of Hiei? He couldn't remember doing so but he wasn't going to go and argue against the strongest she-demon alive.

The second revelation in the Reikai Tantei had been regarding the infamous delinquent, Yusuke, and his amazingly poor grades.

Yusuke wasn't actually half bad at math. Well, at least not as bad as he made it seem. Or at any subject, for that matter. He just had sadistic features and loved to frustrate Keiko with his lack of knowledge and receive tutoring from her. It was actually a great performance of intellect, on Kurama's opinion: in order for him to seem bad at his subjects, he had to fail the right areas of the test by purpose, so that he received bad grades but didn't drop a class because of it. That itself was a tricky thing to do, since you had to know how many points you were going to get from each answer and what answers were wrong. Then he'd play dumb in the same areas when Keiko was giving him a lesson. For why he did it, Kurama had concluded that Yusuke loved the attention he was getting at school as a delinquent and especially from the human girl, and was enjoying the fact that someone really cared about his studies and of him. And even though Yusuke was always complaining about Keiko's yelling, he was kind of lost when she didn't do so. You could say that the young detective liked the sound of his girlfriend; it was music to his ears, even if it was loud.

So how had Kurama found out about it? Well, they had spent so much time in Genkai's temple together, too much for the redhead's liking, actually, (to keep an eye on his safety as well as preventing him training too much, and to keep him company, even though they didn't admit it; they said it just was a good place to study) that he had heard all the times Keiko had given tutoring lessons to the boy. And as his memory was, ahem, slightly better that of the human girl's, he also noticed that sometimes Yusuke learned something on a specific day but had forgotten it on the next. It usually was something so trivial that Keiko missed it, as did Yusuke, but didn't go by from the all-knowing Youko. Actually, Kurama had concluded in the very beginning that Yusuke's seeming thick-headedness was due to his way of showing his emotions so strongly and honestly. He didn't care about politics, with relations or otherwise, which made him seem dense.

Kuwabara had given little new to the fox.

The big man always found ways to visit the temple, usually the excuse being to train with Kurama so that they would both get stronger and so on. Sometimes he brought delicious cookies or cakes to Yukina saying that he had made some experiments and had to bring the trial-baking's to be tasted. Kurama found this slightly amusing - that was the reason he didn't blow Kuwabara's cover up by saying that the pastries were clearly made with great knowledge of cooking - and as Yukina didn't actually know how to cook, they made the perfect couple. The whip-wielding beauty thought they looked absolutely cute together when he once found them feeding little animals in the midst of the thick forest. This of course, he'd never tell Hiei, even if he'd like the shorter demon off his case.

As he observed the ones around him, the ex-thief grew slightly worried. Was it actually possible that Hiei and he had somehow wound up to be a couple? Destined, or something like that? They moved in the same circles, duh, but Kurama hadn't exactly paid any attention to that everyone in their party had a special someone. Except for him and Hiei. He had found out that even Shizuru had fallen for Sakyo for the little while they had known each other and she wasn't exactly recovered from his death yet. There was only him and Hiei left as singles. And Kurama had his reasons for staying that way, thank you very much.

The redhead walked further away from his house and in to the city when his musings were suddenly interrupted by a strange perception. He felt a familiar feeling that he had to so often count on. It was as if someone was tickling the back of his brain with feather-like strokes, like he was getting a sixth sense -sensation. Even mere humans with some amount of spiritual power could feel it, though it was more like cold chills or light prickling in the back of their neck. It was the sensation of a power being near. Thanks to Kurama's youkai-heritage he was able to identify the power as a life-energy. However, what actually worried him was that the ki wasn't reiki but youki. There was a youkai near somewhere. The signal was weak but there.

Kurama searched frantically around the street he was in: There was a mother taking a walk with her unborn child and an infant girl; there was a group of three youngsters laughing in the corner of the street; a man in a black suit talking on a cellular-phone, hurrying to his destination; a middle-aged man in a t-shirt, hands in his pockets and a baseball cap backwards on his head. The smart fox stopped at this man. It was fairly odd that a man in his forties would wear a baseball cap, especially since the summer season had long gone, and _the peak pointing back_.

It was then that Kurama noticed something very crucial. The man had a scar on his left arm. And as if to confirm his suspicions, the man turned slightly, saw him and started to walk 'imperceptibly' to the other direction.

Was it possible that this low-class demon (Hiei had cursed the fact that they weren't able to find one lousy F-class demon the other day) could somehow detect Kurama's ki as well? Even when he was concealing his presence? It was a possibility, even if a very slim one. The half-demon hadn't been completely recovered yet so it was possible that his energy wasn't completely in his control and was therefore leaking slightly, signalling his presence. Odds were low, but still there. Now the real question was that; was the youkai able to detect that his ki was demonic?

The fox followed swiftly Pampilowo through the crowds. He may have been sick but he was still a Reikai Tantei and so obligated to catch this particular demon, even though he wasn't exactly sure what he was up against. Damn that virus! Because of the fever he couldn't remember a thing they had discussed during the meeting. He knew that this demon was a low-class and had stolen something valuable… Or was it that he had stolen jewellery from Ningenkai? Then why were they after that thing again…? Well, no matter. As soon as the culprit was caught, Kurama wouldn't need a chaperone anymore and was free to go with his life as he pleased. Then all that was left was to deal with Hiei.

Kurama ran closely behind the thief since there was no point in hiding anymore. The demon had noticed him and fled, period. Now all he could do was to stay close and wait for the right moment to take out the felon. This wasn't exactly his style, but there wasn't always a privilege of knowing your opponent's weaknesses, strengths or powers. Kurama knew that the demon was weak - that had to do as an advantage. Besides, he must be more powerful than Pampilowo as the demon had fled the moment he laid eyes on him.

The green eyes swept the surroundings to find his prey - which wasn't that hard considering that there were less people in sight now - and saw the creature in his humanoid form descend some stairs. The redhead walked quickly after him, descended the stairs too and found himself on an empty beach. The demon was nowhere to be seen. Kurama concluded that this was a trap and set his bag on the foot of the stairs to protect his books (it's funny how you can explain _yourself_ easily, but if your school-applies are torn, suspicions rises), opened the upper-buttons of his gakuran for a better moving and gracefully crouched in the sand.

He didn't detect any footprints in the sand and realized with a start that maybe this demon wasn't afraid of him after all. Actually, there was a possibility that he wasn't afraid of him _at all_. Maybe, Pampilowo had just wanted to lure him to a place where it was safe to fight without being immediately noticed by the authority. Not the police, but the Reikai Tantei. Was this little devil more intelligent than Kurama had given him credit for? Or a plain fool for taking the redhead as an easy target?

The fox-spirited man reached for his hair instinctively but then remembered with a shock: He didn't have any seeds hidden in his hair. During the long time of being a protégé, he had simply trusted Hiei to take care things. So when he had run out of seeds two days ago, there hadn't been any opportunities or reasons enough to collect new ones. This sent chills down at Kurama's spine. Why had Pampilowo actually lured him _on a beach_? Where there was no vegetation within reach?

Suddenly the scenery twisted before Kurama and said demon jumped in front him out of thin air, even if the air was slightly distorted. The fox-boy instinctively took a step back to get enough space between them and tensed. This time the low-class demon had taken the form of a page-boy. He was about sixteen and wore baggy trousers, a glittering open-front vest and a small turban on his head. He could've passed as a human-being if not for the murderous glint in his eyes and the maniac smirk on his lips. This demon was definitely up to something.

Kurama's only weapon now was his fighting skills. And the best defence was offence. At least he hoped so. But before that, he could use some information on the demon.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" Kurama asked pretending to know nothing beforehand. The creature in front of him twisted his mouth into an even more malicious grin.

"Oh, I think you know why I am here. Youko Kurama," he hissed softly between the white rows of perfect human teeth. The redhead took a breath unintentionally.

"How did you..."

"Know who you are?" Pampilowo ended for him, in a mockingly innocent voice. "I think by now every demon here and after know who you are and what you look like, dear traitor. After all, you did go and won that Dark Tournament by the side of humans after your long career as a proud demon thief. Your head is priceless, did you know that?" The page-boy smiled ever so sweetly at Kurama, who had just got paler by the minute. There was no advantage now. Not only did Pampilowo know who he was, he also knew his attacks and hated him feverishly. Kurama wasn't stupid - he could detect trouble when it came with pom-poms to dance a cheer.

Kurama was now trapped on a beach with a creature that was determined to kill him. Fabulous. And on top of that, there was no way out of it without fighting. The ex-thief mentally kicked himself. He had been perfectly safe with Yusuke, but _no_. He just had to run away for some fresh air and maybe to get killed on the way. Why the hell was he always thinking that he knew his own best! Especially at times like this when he wasn't actually beaming of health.

The redhead took a deep breath and flexed his fingers. Here goes nothing... Kurama plunged in for an attack. Pampilowo took the note and attacked as well. They rushed at each other. Even though the famous fox was slightly unsure of this, he couldn't let that show, and so he just tried to win with speed and skill. But it was then that an unknown factor entered the picture.

As Kurama ran towards Pampilowo, ready to beat the hell out of him, the thief stopped abruptly, seconds before their collision and drew a circle in the air. Since there was no more time to stop after the ex-thief had realized that something was wrong, he could only protect his head as he stumbled straight through the circle in the air...

...And fell on the beach, rolling on the sand to minimize the damage of tripping over. He quickly rose and turned to face Pampilowo, but for some strange reason, the demon in question was just standing there, looking like a cat licking its whiskers from cream. Kurama took this to his advantage and attacked the defenceless page-boy from behind. He raised a well-aimed fist at him and hit as hard as he could…and fell straight through the smirking demon.

"What—?" Kurama looked baffled at his fist and then at his target who was obviously ignoring him, considering that the redhead was standing right in front of him.

"Dear Kurama...Tsk, tsk, tsk," Pampilowo sighed as if he was talking to a child. "I know that you are doing everything you can to kill me, or whatever, but to save you from your trouble, I can reveal that you cannot harm me." It was then that Kurama noted that the self-righteous demon wasn't looking at him but, after wiping some non-existent dust from his vest, was now just looking at ... somewhere.

"You are currently in a different realm, in a safe realm, so you cannot do anything as long as I don't open a distortion for you. And I plan on doing so _after_ I collect _all_ the valuables." Chuckling lightly to himself, Pampilowo transformed into Kurama, took his bag and went on his way.

"What the...?" The shocked Kurama was left standing on the beach alone, thinking over what he had just heard and trying to figure a way out.

_I'm in a different realm? But how? The only way that could be is if he could somehow open portals or distort dimensions. Wait... Distort dimensions. That's it! An F-class demon couldn't possibly gain enough power to muster up a portal, not in that little of time, so the artefact that was stolen was the Dimension Distorter! It does add up… But what was he saying that he was going to let me out when he had collected all the valuables…_

This was a tricky one. Kurama knew to be worth of something, Pampilowo had kindly told him that, even though it didn't explain why he wasn't already dead... Then it hit him. There was someone else, even more valuable by his head than Kurama was. Someone who was a one of a kind demon and also considered a traitor in the Makai. Someone who could only be fooled by Kurama's appearance… _Hiei_

The fox-spirited man sprinted into a run. Hiei was in a real trouble if Pampilowo could mislead him by feigning to be Kurama! And the redhead could never live it down if he was the reason that Hiei was finally taken in. They say that love is blind. For the first time, Kurama really wanted it to be just a saying.

On his way running, Kurama noticed that the realm he was in felt very familiar. Soon he noticed why as he arrived at a street filled with people: He tried to keep out of the way, since nobody seemed to see him. Then, by accident, someone walked through him. That's when he realized it: He was in the spirit realm. Only this time it was on earth. _Heaven on earth. Ha ha._ The beauty mused to himself and stopped dodging people and just went straight through them. He was in a hurry, so...

Then he sensed a familiar youki. Hiei. And it seemed like he wasn't alone. There was Yusuke and Kuwabara with him. Or _he _was with Yusuke... Whatever. Either way, Kurama ran towards the ki hoping to find an intact fire demon. When he arrived at the scene, he groaned at his luck.

Yusuke and co. had just bumped into Pampilowo, a.k.a. Kurama.

"Where the hell have you been, Kurama!" Hiei was yelling. The real redhead winced visibly. Hiei was angry at him... again. He took a quick glance around to see if anyone was watching the lecturing he was getting. Thankfully, the area seemed deserted by civilians.

"Just taking a walk. Don't get so worked up, Hiei-kun. You'll get wrinkles," the copy of Kurama smirked, not the slightest bit intimidated by Hiei's outburst. The Reikai Tantei was slightly taken aback. Yusuke and Kazuma exchanged looks. Hiei's brow furrowed.

"Where's Kurama?" Hiei asked with a murderous glint in his eye, ready to draw a weapon. The ghost Kurama stood aghast. How did he know?

"Hey, Hiei. I know he should apologize, but I think you're going a little too far..." Yusuke tried to soothe the short-tempered demon.

"You saying that he doesn't feel strange?" Hiei stated back, never lifting his eyes from Pampilowo. The fake-Kurama arched a brow, an amused smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Well, well... I knew you were good, but... What gave me away? Was it the confidence? Oh, I just knew I couldn't press it..." Pampilowo heaved a mock defeated sigh and raised a hand to Kurama's forehead in an exaggerated distress. Yusuke readied his Rei-Gun and Kuwabara started to gather spiritual power for his Rei-Ken when it seemed that the shorter boy had been right.

"No, actually," Hiei answered politely. "Kurama is always confident, but not confident enough to call me Hiei-_kun_. I'm also in love with him, so it was just too easy to tell you apart." Then the fire-demon's face darkened. "Now. Tell me where Kurama is and just maybe you'll live."

"Ah hah hah hah haa!" The delighted laughter of the impostor startled them all.

"What's so funny—"

"Oh, you Tantei people. You have a great sense of humour." Then Pampilowo got serious. "You don't need to worry about Kurama; he's in a safe place, until I've dealt with you."

"I thought that Koenma said this was a stupid demon," Kuwabara whispered to his comrade. "So how come he's got Kurama?"

"Beats me," Yusuke answered just as quietly. "Could be that Koenma underestimated this one. It wouldn't be the first time… But how can you be sure he even has Kurama, Hiei, he could've just disguised himself as him without never meeting him, you know," Yusuke pointed out a little louder to the fire demon in question.

"I'm not stupid, Yusuke. Unlike some people. Look at the bag." He commanded, whispering. "That's Kurama's. He had it this morning." Yusuke nodded, serious.

"I don't care how witty you think you are," Hiei spoke out loud to the enemy, clearly referring to have heard the other two earlier. "But if you think you can get out of this alive, you are greatly mistaken."

"Oh, I don't think so, dear Hiei," Pampilowo interrupted firmly. "See, I've got an upper hand in the matter. I think you mentioned that you loved this fox-thief in question, or am I mistaken?"

Hiei just growled even more to the fake redhead smirking in front of him, and moved his legs into a better stance.

"Well, the thing is: Kurama happens to be in a different dimension as we speak, call it a holiday if you will: He can relax there until I see fit to kill him." Pampilowo was explaining all this as calmly as if he'd been discussing the weather. "But, I warn you, one wrong move and he's dead."

After a moment's pause Hiei snarled at the impostor. "What do you want?"

"Well that's simple enough: Don't fight back and let me kill you." Pampilowo watched with a half-smile as the Reikai Tantei stared at him in shock, even though he had only addressed Hiei. "And hey, with any luck, I might get enough money just of you, and then there's no need to kill your precious fox. Of course, I have no interest in you two," the demon glanced at Yusuke and Kuwabara with disgust. There was a moment of silence and then the fake-Kurama reached to his hair.

"Rose Whip!" he yelled and performed a vivid imitation of Kurama's favourite weapon and started to slash it towards the fire demon in-range with dreadful force. It seemed that Pampilowo could imitate more than just appearance.

Meanwhile Kurama was puzzled. Pampilowo was threatening to kill him? In a million years, maybe! Kurama huffed, now offended by the creature's rudeness. Then he blinked and looked at Hiei. A thought dawned on him. _Don't tell me he's buying all this…_ Kurama watched Hiei and realized to his horror that the fire demon was actually hesitating to attack, now only blocking and dodging. Kurama ran to his side as the battle ceased for a moment.

"Don't you see!" he yelled at the poor clueless demon. "If he could kill me, he would have done so already! That is why he trapped me, knowing that he wasn't able to do so. Even if he would, not in any shape! Please, Hiei. See it! I can take care of myself. Just kill that fucking smart-ass demon!" He stopped his yelling only to see that it hadn't affected Hiei at all. Kurama breathed heavily, knowing that he was just vending his anger. He shook his head slowly and his eyes felt hot behind the lids.

"Don't do this to me, Hiei... I can't live if you go and get yourself killed because of someone like me... I don't deserve this. Please, Hiei. Fight," Kurama pleaded quietly even though he knew that the other couldn't hear him. But then Hiei happened to land next to Kurama with determination in his eyes and Kurama could hear a whisper escape from the other's lips.

"I trust you, Kurama."

The ex-thief looked absolutely shocked at this. Hiei had heard him! But the trail of thought was interrupted as the fire demon finally attacked the now very confused impostor. Pampilowo furrowed his brow in anger.

"You fool, what do you think you're doing! I told you I would kill him if you attack! Have you no love for the Youko!"

"I trust him!" Hiei yelled back as he cut a small in his side and then said in a threatening voice, straight to the demon's face. "You can't kill him."

Pampilowo seemed to be slightly disturbed at this, but with a new-found anger he drew a circle in the air and disappeared.

"Where did he go?" Yusuke said, looking wildly around. He and Kuwabara had stayed at their positions; it went without saying that this was Hiei's battle. But there was no harm looking out for yourself if Pampilowo suddenly decided to jump at them.

"Guess he used the stolen goods," Kuwabara replied darkly and steadied his Rei-Ken. Silence fell as they all waited for Pampilowo to make his appearance. Suddenly Hiei ripped the cloth from his Jagan and searched the area with it, the third eye faintly emitting an eerie purple light. Soon they could hear Hiei cursing under his breath.

"Can't find them?" Yusuke asked, even though it came as more of a statement.

"Neither of them. Damn that distorter! I can't even see where he went!" Hiei put the cloth back in its place, seeing that there was no use for the Jagan in this battle.

But Kurama had seen where the demon had slipped through. It had left small ripples in the air where it had disappeared, like a stone dropped to a pond. Kurama ran quickly to the spot and dove for the entrance, but was too late. The distortion in the space had already healed. Tumbling down on the hard ground, Kurama felt completely drained of power. That was why he couldn't reach the spot in time. He took a few calming breaths before starting to tiredly get to his feet. Then he happened to glance at his hand supporting the rise and saw the ground under him. Through his hand.

Gasping loudly, Kurama looked at his hands in panic and paled. His whole body was slightly transparent. Now that he took some notice, the redhead also realized that he seemed to constantly be out of breath. The breathing itself was actually a task. Trying to keep his cool - panicking in a situation like this didn't help - he searched his brain, trying to find a reason. Just then he happened to see a transparent person sitting on a bench nearby, reading a magazine. Except that half of his head seemed to be missing, clearly due to a gunshot. _Oh, right. The spirit realm,_ he reminded himself and froze. That was it. He was in the realm of the ghosts', where there was no such thing as a living body. Except now. And the realm was trying to correct itself, get rid of the unwelcome and leave only what belonged there.

His body was fading away.

"So this is it then, huh? I have cheated death, won over it and ran from it, just to FADE AWAY?" he yelled in fury. This was ridiculous. If he was ever to die, it would be his own decision. Not some plane's rules' and certainly not a trashy low-class demon's! "I have to find a way out of here." With this determinant thought, Kurama began to stalk around his surroundings, waiting for Pampilowo to come back. Daring him to open a rip in the space. And the dare was answered.

From his location, Kurama could detect a slight distortion, like ripples in water. He breathed deeply and lunged for the opening as Pampilowo on the other hand tried to make a surprise attack and jump on Hiei. Fat chance of that ever happening.

Hiei was instantly within five meters and his eyes dilated slightly from joy as he saw Kurama scramble from the hole after the ... well, other Kurama. Comparing them was easy as the real fox demon was out of breath and visibly pale. Pampilowo noticed to his horror that Kurama was now again free and after letting a low growl of frustration, used his ring again and disappeared. Before Kurama hit the ground, he was caught in Hiei's safe arms.

"Are you okay?" Hiei instantly inquired and searched his love for any wounds.

"I'm ... fine," panted the redhead. He took a look at his hand and sighed in relief. He wasn't transparent anymore. Then he looked at the fire demon's ruby red eyes that were darkened with worry.

"I'm sorry," he said and turned his eyes away from the burning red ones. He couldn't handle their intensity, and felt unworthy of such emotions. "I never thought... I won't do it again. I'm sorry," he finished with a low voice and shakily got up. He felt confused and being held with such caress wasn't helping him clear his head. His body, and part of his mind, protested the thought of going away from the safe hold, but he determinately pushed those thoughts away and staggered to his feet. Hiei was about to protest, but something caught Kurama's eye. Ripples in the view.

"He's coming," the beauty said, and right after, Kurama's copy-cat came in sight. The redhead seemed to see these 'ripples' even while being in his own realm. He didn't have any more time to ponder this as Pampilowo attacked.

Yusuke and Kuwabara were unsure of whether they were allowed to participate in the fight yet and so decided to stay put, ready to dive into the heat of the battle when needed.

The rose whip slashed the air as the criminal tried to get Hiei. Kurama was glad because he wasn't sure if he could keep up with even half of the speed the fire demon was demonstrating. He wondered why Pampilowo was attacking the strongest person in their group. From what he had shown earlier gave reason to believe that he wasn't too stupid. Was the prospect of the price blinding his judgement?

Right then Hiei had to move further when the impostor slashed close. The feisty fire demon had his katana ready to slash, but since Kurama was safe now and there were no orders to kill, just to retrieve the lost item and capture the culprit, he could take some time off his sentence with a living thief. If he had a case, Koenma was easily... persuaded in to almost anything. Hiei's musing was abruptly disturbed as the whip slashed close but not close enough. He didn't like this. He had to put an end to this soon. He missed his redhead, who was too far away for his liking. And just as the spiky-haired demon gripped his katana for an attack, Pampilowo changed his direction and slashed towards Kurama.

The beautiful redhead jumped just so that he could avoid the collision, but while escaping he tripped and almost fell over. Hiei was there at once, holding him up, taking Kurama's arm and draping it around his neck and supporting the fox's weight with his own strength. The redhead was grateful but then saw the whip coming, this time like a needle, straight towards Hiei's heart. He didn't have time to warn him. He didn't have the strength to move them away. But he was damned if he let the only person that meant him this much to get hurt. So following his instinct, Kurama turned and shielded the short fire demon's frame with his own.

It all happened like in a slow motion picture. Kurama's eyes dilated from the pain as the whip pierced his back, and drew a shocked breath. Hiei stared at him in horror. Kurama could hear distant cursing as Yusuke and Kuwabara were drawn in to the fight with terrifying ferocity. With their combined attack Pampilowo had no chance and was soon finished, but this all mattered so little to Hiei. Kurama gasped air in a shock but the pain was already dulling in to a throbbing and slowly he couldn't feel it at all. His legs gave away from fatigue but Hiei caught him and held him close.

"Why did you..." the ruby eyed demon asked hoarsely, unable to continue at once and swallowed, despair slowly seeping all over his body as Kurama felt heavier. "Why did you do it?" he whispered in disbelief. The redhead smiled tenderly at the face above him.

"Because I can't live with myself if something should happen to you... Hiei..." The words were spoken very gently and quietly. Kurama coughed and felt the familiar coppery taste fill his mouth. _Blood_.

"Hiei..." he said softly to gain the full attention of the lost soul that reflected from the crimson eyes before him. Hiei was at loss. He didn't know how to handle a situation of such intensity. "Hiei... I..." The redhead paused unsurely and coughed more blood. He vaguely felt Yusuke and Kuwabara near. Cold was seeping into his body as a warm pool of blood was forming behind his back. He had to say this. _Before it was too late_. He mustered up his last shining smile to his fire demon and whispered:

"I think you managed to steal my heart… after all."

Hiei's eyes widened and he was opening and closing his mouth in confusion. There was utter joy fluttering in his chest at the words, but the seriousness of the situation didn't allow him to cherish that feeling for long. Kurama smiled at the conflicting emotions crossing Hiei's face that surely nobody else would be able to detect. Then the comforting darkness enveloped him as his last strength seemed to drain from his body and he fell limp in Hiei's arms.

"Kurama. Kurama!" Hiei finally let his emotions take over and he shouted his beloved's name over and over again. _This can't end like this,_ Hiei's thoughts cried desperately, and he hugged Kurama's limp form tightly to his chest as a single tear-gem fell to the ground.

* * *


	7. Ch6: Stolen

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Chapter 6: Stolen

Kurama sighed contently and buried deeper in to the covers. It was nice and warm; someone's arms were wrapped around the redhead's torso. Kurama smiled to himself. It had been a long time since he felt this at peace with the world. He absentmindedly wondered how his wound was doing, and a sting caused by the slight movement told him that he wasn't completely healed yet.

Then the nice, warm, secure arms slid away and the comforting presence withdrew. Kurama frowned in displeasement(1) and made a little protesting voice in the back of his throat. The presence, whom which Kurama already knew was, stopped beside his bed, but didn't turn around. Then it moved again and the redhead sighed in frustration. It seemed he really had to wake up. Damn.

Kurama cracked one eye open and slid in to view the world from under the warm depth of the comforter. He winced against the light and went into hiding again, deciding that Hiei knew he was awake and that would have to do. He _really_ didn't want to face the sun yet.

"Where are you going?" Kurama mumbled into his pillow. The presence shuffled slightly, possibly now turning around.

"Away," Hiei answered, his voice back to the characteristic indifference from the years when they had just met. The man lying in the bed frowned at this. Hiei hadn't used that voice with him even at the incident when they had stolen the three Reikai items and Kurama had turned against the other two, getting out of the deal. And that was _way_ back in the past. Kurama was immediately awake.

He pulled the blanket out of his face and squinted at the fire demon standing in front of the window. He hadn't turned, it seemed.

"Define 'away'." Kurama said, trying to keep his voice steady and light, but going dangerously in the 'growl' -department. He did not like the sound of things.

"..." Hiei lowered his head but refused to look at the redhead. Kurama sat up in the bed, ignoring the brief pain it caused and lowered his legs to the floor. "Hiei, if you—"

"I'm sorry."

Even said in a small voice, the fox-spirited man didn't have trouble hearing, and he was thrown off guard by this sudden apology. Now he definitely didn't like the sound of things. This was exactly what he had been afraid of. He squeezed the sheets, knowing now what was coming, but refusing to believe it. He studied the covers in the bed with feign interest. He couldn't look at Hiei. He was frightened of what he might've seen.

"There's no need to be sorry," he mumbled, but felt his throat tighten. "I did it for you."

"Exactly," Hiei said gently, and if Kurama knew any better he could swear the other had a sad smile on his lips. The green eyes widened, and he finally looked up at the dark-haired man.

"I can't keep putting you in danger," Hiei continued, voice slightly stronger with resolution.

"You're not..." Kurama whispered, but was almost ignored. The half-koorime continued without a pause.

"If I being close to you mean that you are in danger, I can't..." His voice was breaking with emotion and he braced himself before continuing. "So, for your safety..."

"No..."

"...I think its best..."

"No."

"...that I –"

"No! Shut up!" Kurama yelled suddenly. He squeezed his eyes close, refusing to cry. He wouldn't! Not because of this! Not because of him...

The room was silent. You could only hear Kurama's heavy breathing as he tried to calm himself down.

"Just, shut up..." he whispered, this time almost pleadingly, his knuckles white with grabbing the sheets too tight.

"Kurama..."

"Don't 'Kurama' me!" the redhead said with a loud voice. Now he wasn't sad anymore. He was angry. No, scratch that, he was beyond angry. He was pissed off.

"How _dare_ you do this to me?" the man seethed, then looked directly at the other and said with a voice that predicted blood. "If you go thought that window, Hiei, I promise you that I will personally hunt you down and kill you."

The man addressed turned to look at the redhead, surprise written all over his face. _He looks cute when he's caught out of guard,_ Kurama mused, the anger slightly relenting. But as he slowly let go of the anger, he felt his throat tightening again and he closed his eyes. He quickly raised a hand to cover his eyes, as despite of the hard effort, one lonely tear leaked from under his thick lashes and rolled down his cheek and along his jaw line.

"Why are you doing this to me?" he forced himself to whisper, voice wavering slightly. There was nothing to lose anymore. He had already lost his heart. "Why do you keep hurting me so much?" Eyes kept shut, the redhead slowly draped his arms around himself to stop his body from shaking. He felt so vulnerable now, so alone, so cold. Why had he given in? He knew better than to give his heart to someone. They would only break it. They always did. So how was this going to be any different? Even though he had trusted Hiei, believed that he would be different... he was just like the rest of them.

Suddenly, gentle hands buried themselves in his hair and slowly drew him into a hug. His head rested against a strong chest and Kurama couldn't keep it in any more, and let another tear slide down. He hugged Hiei fiercely back and let a muffled cry. As he trembled in the fire demons arms, trying to rein his emotions again, Hiei stroke his hair and whispered soothingly to him. After calming down slightly, he realized that the smaller man was apologizing, over and over again.

Kurama rested his forehead against Hiei's chest and said clearly, "Stop it." Then he raised his face to look the other in the face. Hiei in response brought his hand to stroke gently Kurama's cheek and wipe away the traces of tears. Then he cupped the redheads face to lift it to a right angle and brought his lips in a gentle kiss to Kuramas'. Kurama closed his eyes and enjoyed this small show of affection, so very different from their previous'. And hopefully not their last.

As the kiss ended, they rested their foreheads against each other's. Kurama didn't immediately open his eyes but only whispered in a small voice that was layered with pain and plead, "Don't leave me." As an answer, Hiei tilted Kurama's head again and brought their lips together once more. This time is was more passionate as the fire demon nibbled slightly the redhead's lower lip to ask permission to deepen the kiss. The feeling of being cared was almost overwhelming as Kurama slowly opened his mouth. He wasn't forced, he wasn't tricked, and the kiss itself was apologizing and reassuring. And for the first time, Kurama fell in the kiss with his whole being and let himself relax in Hiei's care.

Slowly ending the kiss, Hiei drew away and looked at his redhead tenderly. Then he frowned and took a second look at his love. Sighing, he stepped away and crossed his arms.

"Kurama..."

"What?" the fox-spirited man asked confused and slightly worried. Hiei gave him a pointed look, but this time the redhead didn't understand the non-verbal message. "What?" he asked again.

"You. Bed. Now," was the commanding reply and a strong hand-gesture to the bed.

"Hiei," Kurama sighed. "I'm fine. I've been worse, you know," he pointed out.

"Doesn't matter," Hiei dismissed. "That hit came close piercing your liver or your spine, take a pick. One or the other and you'd be killed or paralyzed. Not that bright of a future if you ask me."

"Well, thank heavens then that I know how to take a hit! You know this isn't exactly the first time I've been pierced almost to death. And, oh, look at the coincidence; it was to protect a person too. I swear I'm becoming more and more of a saint these days..."

"You were paying a dept at the time; I highly doubt it qualifies in your resume when running as a saint. This time you even passed out of the shock and blood loss. You _are_ losing your touch, even if we are talking about slightly different matters."

"Hiei, I had just come from the realm of the _dead_. You can't possibly expect me to be in the high health. The main reason I decided to take the hit instead of - oh, I don't know, _dodging_ it - was that I didn't have the strength. I didn't do this kamikaze act out of pure goodness of my heart or the masochist within me." Kurama cast a sly look at Hiei. "No, I had a better reason."

"What are you smirking at?" the spiky-haired demon tried, but the redhead could see a slight blush tinting the others cheeks and smiled even wider. Disorientated, Hiei used another technique; threatening. "Don't make me use my Jagan on you," he growled. Then he realized what he just said and hid his eyes behind his hand. "I did not just say that..." he moaned, but Kurama only chucked at his sweet fire demon.

"Okay, okay. I'll go," he relented. "But on one condition." Hiei eyed the clever redhead from behind his hand in suspicion and raised an eyebrow at him. The man in question smiled tenderly and perhaps slightly shyly, at him. "I want company."

Hiei's other brow joined the one in the hairline as he regarded his lovely redhead. Kurama saw the look and swatted him in the head. "Hiei. Not like that."

Shrugging, the smaller man circled the bed and tucked in. The slender beauty carefully followed him under the covers, keeping an eye for the wound. Then they lay there together, just looking at each others and enjoying the peace.

"So..." Kurama broke the comfortable silence. "What happened after I blacked out?"

Hiei's lips drew into a knowing smirk. "Hn. Foxes," he snorted, amused. "You really want to know everything."

Kurama gave him a pointed look. "Wouldn't you?" he countered and Hiei frowned at this.

Of course, like most of the times, Kurama was right. So with some coaxing, asking details and filling the blacks with his own imagination, Kurama got the whole story out of the stoic demon.

Firstly, Yusuke had blasted the 'demon' (actually Hiei had referred to it as a rude word in Makai dialect, but Kurama refused to repeat it) with his Rei-Gun within seconds, when nothing was holding them back any more. (All orders from Koenma for bringing the felon back alive had been strangely forgotten.) Then, as Kurama had been bleeding too much to be moved and quite frankly Hiei had just panicked (although, he didn't admit it), Kuwabara had taken the ring from the demon, used his Jigen Tou to amplify the distortions range and swiftly moved them to Genkai's living room where (very conveniently) Yukina and the elder lady were having dinner, so Kurama was quickly saved from immediate danger. Though, Yukina couldn't heal that fast as it seemed that Kurama's self-protection was still very much against it. She had to hold Hiei's hand and channel through him to get even close to the redhead and even then her power wasn't enough to heal it all. As it now was similar to a hospital recovery after a surgery, the rest was left for the fox-spirited man to deal the old fashion way.

"So, how long have I been sleeping?" Kurama asked.

"Three days," Hiei answered. Kurama's eyes widened.

"Three days! Again!" he asked incredulously and the spiky-haired demon only nodded in affirmative. Kurama quickly sat up and proceeded to get out bed, "I have to go to school! I have exams! I—"

Hiei had grabbed the redhead's wrist in a tight grip and held the man down. "Kurama," he said in a low voice that made the man addressed to turn to the authoritative voice. "You don't have school," he continued. Kurama relaxed visibly.

"Oh," was the intellect reply as the green-eyed male remembered his vacation.

"Though, you missed one exam," Hiei continued.

"What!"

"...but you can redo it later."

Kurama sighed in relief and climbed under the comforter again, "Oh, good..."

"But you have to do some extra work for it."

The redhead hesitated before lying next to Hiei again. "Well... that's okay. At least I didn't blow it."

"And your mother says to get well."

"... What?"

"She left yesterday. To the trip. Left a message that you should get well and eat properly. Oh, and take a good care of your guest," Hiei smirked. Kurama looked slightly disorientated.

"Guest?"

"Me."

"Oh." A few pause of silence as Kurama hesitated slightly, then, "What did you tell mother?" There was no hostility in his voice, only pure interest.

"That you got the flu," Hiei answered simply. "She was in a hurry," he explained further as the redhead wondered why she had believed him so quickly. "And I think she likes me," Hiei added later. Kurama arched a brow and contemplated the thought.

"I think she does, too," he finally said, with a resolute, and smiled gently at the smaller-framed demon. But Hiei regarded him with unreadable eyes for a second and then reached out to him. Taking a hold of the nape of Kurama's neck, he drew the redhead closer and planted a soft kiss to his lips. Kurama closed his eyes, but raised his hands on Hiei's chest as a stopper. He really didn't think this was the proper time, or the place, to be deepening their relationship. So to speak.

Alas, Hiei wasn't sharing the thought; never leaving the soft lips of the green-eyed beauty, the spiky-haired demon took the hands, pinned them above the man's head and straddled his hips with his own, in one elegant movement. His new poison above the elusive fox gave him a better angle (as has been proved before) and he slowly deepened the kiss for one of more demand. The little resistance Kurama had, melted away, and they started playfully - and then not so playfully - to battle for dominance. Hiei slowly slid his hands by the redhead's wrists to his palms and intertwined their fingers as he gradually took control of the kiss. Kurama made a small noise of protest and frustration at the lost battle, but with a little persuasion from Hiei, submitted for the receiving end eventually.

Hiei took full enjoyment of being on top. He leisurely took his time exploring Kurama's mouth that was currently willing and able. _Oh, yes…_ Hiei thought. _Definitely able._ He was just doing everything he could, not to ravish the redhead then and there. Kurama wasn't one of those people that took sex-on-the-fist-date well, and Hiei wasn't ready to run and hide. From _him_. He actually doubted he could. And this wasn't technically even their first date.

He could, however, get some more of those sweet sounds from the mouth he was currently upon, tease Kurama a little, and outline him for some future aspects. So Hiei proceeded to get the redhead begging for more.

The spiky-haired demon allowed the irresistible fox-spirited man to regain some oxygen as he himself moved his mouth along the slender jaw line, kissing every inch that now rightfully belonged to him. Then Hiei leaned further with two intentions. One, to get more contacting surface, and two, to have better access at the sensitive skin below the man's earlobe. As Hiei closed his lips upon the delicious skin, he could hear Kurama's breathe hitching and squeeze their joined hands - and Hiei knew something was wrong. The redhead posture was way too rigid and something told the dark man that the air had changed rapidly from pleasurable to uncomfortable.

Wary of the other's mood swings, Hiei raised his head from the crook of Kurama's neck and surveyed the man under him. Kurama had turned his head slightly away, not looking at Hiei at first. The demon noticed that his beautiful companion was biting his lip and wore a slightly pained expression, but clearly was trying to hide it as well, for he wasn't saying anything. Then it hit Hiei like a ton of bricks, and he knew. _How could I be that stupid!_

"Sorry," Hiei said and climbed off, releasing the other. Kurama looked better, if not a little pale, but had an ashamed look on his face. He slowly released the breath he had been holding and winced. Hiei was now mentally stabbing a thousand swords at himself.

"You don't need to look so damn depressed. It's not your fault," he said to the redhead, but it came out more aggressive than he had meant.

"But…" Kurama protested weakly and Hiei could sense the apology coming.

"Kurama," he snapped. "It's hardly your fault for being wounded." There was a slight pause before Kurama answered, amusement _almost_ concealed.

"Hiei. I hope I'm not the only one that sees the irony of that sentence." (2)

Hiei too smirked slightly. "Hn. No, you're not." Then he sat up and got off the bed. As he was making his way out of the room, Kurama became suddenly worried.

"Where are you going?" he asked, slightly too quickly to be casual, propping himself up into a half-sitting position. Hiei turned at the door to look at the red-haired young man on the bed, raising an eyebrow.

"I'm going to get some water. You need to drink and take some medicine for that thing." This said, Hiei disappeared from the doorframe and down to the kitchen. Kurama flopped back on to the bed (and winced as his wound protested the movement) and flung an arm over his eyes, sighing. He couldn't help but to feel slightly uneasy. He was now in the exact position in life where he had vowed _never_ to be in. And Hiei was thinking of leaving him just a little over half an hour ago.

Kurama curled carefully into a foetal position, to protect himself. He really couldn't explain the action - what was he escaping from? - but the sad feeling didn't subside. He felt a wrench in his heart and an ominous feeling settled at his stomach. His throat felt dry. Maybe the water was a good idea, but then again, he didn't really feel thirsty. Kurama curled more tightly, wrapping his arms around himself as if waiting for a bomb to explode and hid his face in his arms, shutting his eyes tightly.

_Hiei... come back... Please, just... come back..._

Strong arms circled his body and drew him into a tight hug. Not until Kurama breathed a shaking breath, he realized he had been tensing even his lungs, so much that air wasn't allowed in. Warm lips came to his neck, planting soft kisses, soothing his nerves. A hand went through his red mane and straightened the tangles. Then Hiei just lay there, holding his precious fox close, cradled in his arms. Kurama's eyes were still shut.

"I—" He swallowed. "I thought that— I thought that I'd be safe... if I just kept everyone away," his voice wavered, but he continued. This was important. Hiei had to understand, he had to know.

And so Hiei did. He understood and knew. He held his love in a tight embrace and gave him time to tell. Kurama's soul, open and fragile, easy to break now and lose the little faith it had, was in Hiei's hands.

"I gave up hope when Kuronue died, you know," Kurama continued quietly, a gentle smile gracing his lips. "It just hurt so much. He was... well, I don't think that makes any difference anymore, does it...? And I couldn't shed one tear for him back then... Imagine, 'Youko Kurama grieves for his lost love.' No... I couldn't let anyone see me off guard. Not even my own group..." he trailed off sadly, memories bringing him back to the past for a second. "So I just didn't want to feel that hurt again. Not even after I came here, in Ningenkai..."

"So you lied to me," it was a statement, not an accusation.

"Mmm..." Kurama agreed in thought before agreeing aloud, "Yes, I did." Then he continued with a more subdued voice, almost dreamily, "For you I would have said anything to keep you away from my heart. I knew you were already too close. I tried to make fun of it, more for my sake than for the laugh, but... You didn't give up..." The redhead gave a small, humourless laugh. "I don't know if I should be pleased or terrified..."

Hiei tightened the embrace and said, his lips gracing Kurama's neck, "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking, I swear. I promise I'll never leave you. Ever." The fox-spirited man relaxed slightly and smiled dreamily again.

"You'll give your word for it?" Hiei nodded in the red mane. The man being held relaxed completely and closed his eyes. Before he drifted in to sleep in the arms of his loved one again, Kurama said his decision out loud, being truly peace with the world again, for the first time in centuries.

"... then I guess it's okay."

* * *

(1) Displeasement isn't a word, I know. But there was nothing to correctly replace it with.  
(2) It actually _is_ Kurama's fault for being injured, no matter how noble of a reason. 


	8. Epilogue

Dictionary:

Hiei-san: a mountain between Kyoto and Shiga prefectures. (Like Mt. Fuji is in Japanese _Fuji-san_)

Kurama-san: likewise, a mountain in Japan, though I have no idea where.

Kimono: Japanese traditional national costume. The real silk ones are festive and _expensive_.

* * *

**I'm Going to Get You** by rebecca85

Epilogue:

It had been three weeks, and Kurama was in perfect health again. Were it thanks to the amazing healing-powers of Yukina, Youko's rapid recovering ability, Hiei's 'loving care' ("Stay. In. BED."), Kurama's sheer will or the medicine whipped up to speed the process, no one was quite sure, but never the less our favourite red-haired bishounen had made a complete recovery. The decision if it was a good thing or not, was left up to the patient himself, as he checked his outfit in front of his mirror one last time for the 'long awaited' party.

"Fox, are you _done_," asked a highly annoyed voice from the vicinity of the redhead's bed. Kurama turned around and gave Hiei a satisfied smile as he held out his hands to show his white tuxedo.

"I believe I am, don't you think?" he asked cheekily, a light of mischievousness dancing in his forest green eyes. Hiei rolled his eyes, "Come on, let's go. I think we're already late as it is. And I don't know _why_ we have to wear these ridiculous clothing." He gave a tug at the suit's collar, for good measure, and grimaced.

"Don't touch that," Kurama said sternly and took an involuntarily step towards the fire demon. His hands twitched to fix the bow-tie. "It took me ages to get it right. And these are not ridiculous, they're traditional human clothing in important occasions, and the birthday of Enma-daiou's son is important enough, in my opinion."

"Hn. That doesn't make them any less ridiculous. A good _traditional_ kimono has more room that _this_ thing. I can hardly breathe..." Hiei continued tugging the collar.

"Don't touch it. Hiei, stop that! Look, now it's all – Whah!" Kurama's sentence was cut short as Hiei suddenly took advantage of their closeness and attacked his redhead. The hands that were trying to stop the tugging and repair the damage, were now securely pinned on either side of Kurama's head as he found himself lying in his bed, Hiei sitting on his hips. _Again_.

"You really like being on top, huh?" the fox-spirited man mused out loud. "You've just ruined a perfectly good hair, you know," he pointed out.

"Don't care..."

"Well, you should! Now I've got to –" Hiei efficiently cut Kurama's complaints off by sealing the man's lips in a kiss. He hungrily prodded the sweet mouth open and slipped his tongue past the rosy lips. The redhead hummed to the kiss, probably trying to get Hiei to focus on their appointment, of which they were going to be late. The fire demon ended his assault for the fox's mouth, but only to find something else to kiss; Kurama's neck.

"Ah… Hiei, stop," the red-haired beauty pleaded breathlessly. He had no idea how sexy is sounded, which only served the brunet to continue his ministrations to hear more. "We… ah! Have to be… uh… there… nnn… soon." Hiei traced soft kissed along the slender man's jaw-line until he found the mouth again. Again preventing any talk from Kurama, he enclosed the red lips for a more sweeter, more tender kiss. Leisurely he took his time with his ministrations, to convey his feeling for the man wordlessly. This time Kurama didn't protest, but melted under him.

After Hiei was sure he had thoroughly kissed him, he pecked him on the lips once more, then on the redhead's nose, for good measure. Kurama watched him with amazement in his eyes, then melted into a warm smile.

"Let's get ready."

* * *

In the end, Kurama had figured a mid-way to fix Hiei's irritating tugging without actually giving in from wearing the tuxedo. Hiei had the bow-tie removed (because really, Kurama didn't think it suited him that much) and the few upper buttons opened. The fox-spirited man was satisfied with his work. Hiei was looking quite festive but not that dressed up, at the same time. And they were only half an hour late.

Koenma's birthday party was just as high class as Kurama had suspected. They had met up with Enki, Koko, Yomi, The Reikai Tantei and Mukuro thus far, just to point out some names. Though, they didn't stayed long with Mukuro as she kept sniggering at Hiei and his clothing, saying with muffled glee that Kurama had the spiky-haired demon obviously wrapped around his finger, and was now more than welcomed back in Makai, if the redhead would allowed him. This, of course, made Hiei see red, but if it was from embarrassment or of something else, Kurama didn't dwell on it but just excused them swiftly.

Kurama recognized more of the guests rather than _was_ recognized. He kept it that way. Even if some knew him from the Ankoku Bujutsukai, they were mostly the low-class demons that didn't attend the party. And Kurama was fine with his privacy as it was. Hiei was actually noticed more than the redhead and Kurama kept hiding behind his glass as the fire demon became frustrated with the attention. He was, after all, the famous half-koorime.

Koenma's party hall was packed with guests; demons, humans and other races alike. Kurama had been very anxious to see the magic behind the letters on Enma-daiou's son's forehead, but that had been kept secret as Koenma had appeared at the party all grown up. No marks on his face, that is. Now if he'd just ditch the pacifier…

"I would like to have your attention, please," Koenma clinked a spoon to the side of his champagne class to gain everybody's undivided attention. As the hall had quieted down from the small-talk, Koenma lowered his utensils to a table and cleared his throat.

"I thank you all for coming to this congratulation ceremony on my 750th birthday. I highly appreciated that you find it in your busy schedules to make time for this."

"I wouldn't miss this for the world," Mukuro breathed almost inaudibly beside Kurama. The redhead was surprised to see the sarcastic woman standing there. No wonder she had won against Hiei.

"What do you mean?" Kurama asked just as quietly as she had talked. The woman glanced at him. They listened to Koenma's speech with their interest reduced to half.

"You mean you haven't heard?" Kurama just shook his head minimally for a 'no'. He hardly ever heard rumours about Makai or Reikai any more, since he had moved to Ningenkai.

"Well, there are wild rumours about that little twerp and his flowery assistant making it official tonight," she whispered confidently. Kurama knew Hiei was listening also by now. "It's fairly reliable talk as I know personally that a few months ago Koenma ordered a custom-made ring from one of my jewellery's. I have the best, after all," she added like she was reminding Kurama of some law of nature. "There are also some rumours about that Tantei kid, but those can be anything. Though, judging by the way he's fixing his hair just about every ten minutes, I'd say they are true also."

Kurama glanced at Yusuke, and sure enough, he was combing his hair with his hands to keep them _all_ slicked back. Kurama could have told the poor kid ages ago that he looked _much_ better without the gel, but thought that the man would realize it himself once he grew up a little. Now the redhead was thinking of revising that plan.

Turned out then that Mukuro was right. At the end of Koenma's speech he kneeled before the blue haired ferry-girl and after another (although shorter) speech, asked her to marry him. Botan blushed to bright red and went speechless. Only the grin that suddenly took residence on the semi-god's face, told them that she had whispered an affirmative answer. As Botan then received her engagement ring, the guests gave a wild applaud. The newly recognized pair stood holding hands to take the praise as Koenma didn't seem to be able to loose the grin and Botan still hadn't gotten her complex back. Kurama guessed right thinking that it had really came as a total surprise to the girl.

As the clapping then ceased, they could hear another clicking against a glass: Another announcement.

The redhead raised an eyebrow at Yusuke who was the one asking the guests' attention. He made a small congratulation speech to the new couple but kept it to the point. As they had applauded another time for Koenma and Botan, Yusuke turned to the audience again.

"Dear guests, I'm afraid that this isn't the end of the talk. See, I also have something to say for my girlfriend." Yusuke turned to Keiko, who covered her mouth with a hand, shocked. "One day when I was fifteen, I promised you that we'd get married someday. Today, I'm keeping that promise."

Yusuke kneeled before Keiko and made a touching scene about asking Keiko's hand in marriage. Kurama thought that the part 'I have nothing much to offer but my heart' was slightly too cliché but it seemed that the brunette girl drank it all like in draught, eyes brimming with unshed tears of happiness. Hiei seemed to share Kurama's thought, as he voiced his opinion of the part.

"Oh, please," he snorted. Mukuro looked at Hiei, surprised.

"I think it's very beautiful," she commented back, then moved her attention to Kurama. "Is it customary in Ningenkai to make such exaggerated promises and figure of speech when proposing to someone?"

Kurama was momentarily surprised of her question, but gave it a thought. "I haven't heard it that many times, but yes, it seems that the girl is always the more impressed the more the man gives her promises, regardless if they are big ones or no. Why?"

"Your human father proposed to your human mother," she said slyly. "I just thought that you'd know what they said to each others. And since you're like a human now, I was wondering if I will have to help Hiei in his speech, and how much." Kurama blushed to bright red and dared not to look at Hiei, whom he knew was fuming to the woman. They were dating, yes, but _marriage_? The redhead cleared his throat.

"I don't think that will be necessary," he said politely to Mukuro. The woman just smirked to him and walked away with the applause, as Keiko had finally flew to Yusuke's arms, crying an affirmative answer with a loud voice.

As the festivities continued, Kurama found himself with Hiei, standing in the sides as the floor was occupied for dancing couples. The redhead had never been very fond with dancing (too many people in a too little of a room) so he preferred his whereabouts fine, thank you very much. He was enjoying his drink as he saw Kuwabara approaching them, a drink in his hand, but alone.

"So things finally worked between you two, huh?" the orange-top stated briskly. Kurama raised one delicate eyebrow.

"You're okay with us, Kuwabara-kun?"

"Hn. He should be," Hiei snorted. "He started it." Kuwabara smiled a little sheepishly at this and rubbed the back of his head. Kurama was utterly bewildered but only asked inquiringly, "Kuwabara-kun?"

"Well the thing is, Kurama, I kind of read your youki at the time we were fighting that virus-demon. You know, that time when you saved my ass from his slash and Hiei went between it and us, and for that one second I could feel your immense worry over him, so…" Kurama knew what he was talking about but only nodded as he was speechless of the discovery.

"Well," Kuwabara continued, looking more and more embarrassed, "first I actually thought that I should warn Hiei about your… affection, but Yukina-san found out and gave me a well deserved lecture. 'Love is love, no matter the age, race or sex'," Kuwabara quoted proudly. Then he blushed. "I especially liked the race part."

Kurama stared at the big man for a while longer, still quite dazed at this revelation. Kuwabara _of all the people started it all? _Then he took another look at the orange-haired man and everything just seemed to fall in its place. And the redhead found that he was relieved.

As the situation hit, Kurama's compose cracked and soon he was trying to laugh as quietly as possible, to not to gain too much unwanted attention. Hiei looked first quite spooked, but soon smiled secretively behind his drink. Kuwabara on the other hand was very puzzled and slightly scared.

"Umm… Kurama? Are you all right?" he asked tentatively. "Are you mad at me for telling Hiei?" Kurama stopped laughing but continued to smile widely.

"Yes, Kazuma-san," Kurama replied, grinning. "I'm mad." Then he started to laugh silently again. Kuwabara seemed to get more scared the minute. He even took an unconscious step back away from the crazy fox.

Finally it seemed that Kurama had had enough of laughing and he calmed down with a deep breath.

"But seriously, I am mad, Kazuma-san," the redhead said to the tall man, who blanched slightly. "You made it just so _easy_ for Hiei to chase me, when he _knew_ I liked him. That was slightly unfair." He seemed to think for a bit, his brow creasing slightly. "That explains your behaviour. No wonder you two aren't fighting; you were on the same side! That's dirty…" Kuwabara sweatdropped and rubbed the back of his head as Hiei tried to look as imperceptible as he could and pretended to be interested in the party.

"Well…" Kurama continued but this time almost wistfully, staring at the dancing couples. "I knew it was a lost battle. Me against everyone. Even including myself…" Then he smiled a little. "I guess it was my turn to lose, right?" Hiei raised serious eyes to his fox at the sober mood, and Kuwabara seemed to be lost.

"Definitely," Hiei answered. Kurama looked at his boyfriend and they fell both silent, immersed in each other's eyes. Kuwabara looked from one to the other, and sighed. Smiling slightly he turned around and went to search for his own love.

The two wallflowers continued their staring, until Kurama took a step towards Hiei and leaned to plant a light kiss to his lips. He didn't care if someone saw, he was in love. And the spiky-haired demon seemed to understand the sentiment of what the Great Thief Youko Kurama was giving to him, and accepted it gladly, exhilaration making his stomach flutter. When they parted, they gazed each others for a while again and then unanimously turned to watch the party unrolling before them.

"Say, Kurama," Hiei said suddenly.

"Hmm?"

"Is my name funny?"

"_What?_" Kurama could hardly believe his own ears. Was Hiei actually asking him what he thought he was asking? "Oh. You mean Shuichi?" the redhead realized. The shorter demon just nodded curtly.

"Well, your name is just as funny as mine, Hiei-_san_," Kurama answered, and this seemed to pacify the half-koorime. The slender beauty could even detect a small smile tugging the corner of Hiei's lips, which he tried to hide behind his half-full glass. The green eyes followed the fire demon's facial features from his mouth to his jaw-line, to his cheekbones, to his nose, to eyes, and there caught the ruby orbs staring intently back at him. Kurama smiled mischievously.

"Want to get out of here?" Hiei smirked and nodded.

No one witnessed their departure.

* * *

The rings found their way back to their rightful owners the next day with a note that said:

_Be more careful of your possessions._

_You never know when you might lose them for forever._

_Cherish every moment and live for tomorrow._

_K_

_

* * *

_

Mata ne,

Luv, rebecca


End file.
